


Vanishing Evidence

by 0Lauren0 (AnimeMangaZoo)



Category: Bones (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-15
Updated: 2012-02-15
Packaged: 2017-10-31 05:40:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 50,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/340544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimeMangaZoo/pseuds/0Lauren0
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brennan and Booth are brought a case that even stumps Brennan. Now they have to travel to Pennsylvania to discover the truth about what happened, in a case that is almost impossible to solve for the team to solve. Even with the help of Zack. After S 6.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

I own nothing from Bones!

Chapter 1

Booth kissed the top of Brennan's head as she lay against him, tears still streaming from her eyes but she could only lay against his chest with his arms wrapped securely around her. Booth shifted to wipe her tears away and look into her pale blue eyes.

"You okay?" He asked softly as she nodded. "Try to get some sleep." He whispered as he ran his hand over her cheek gently.

"Booth…." She trailed off. "Seeing how life can be taken so easily and quickly… I feel that if I continue my path in life I will never be able to experience what everyone else has."

"What are you talking about?"

"Cam has Paul and Michelle, Sweets has Daisy, Angela has Hodgins and they are having a child and you have Parker. The way I've been conducting my life…. If life really is so fragile and taken away without warning… I don't have anything."

"Bones, you have everyone."

"No, not in the experience that everyone else has." Booth locked his warm brown eyes with her pale blue ones as understanding began to sink in. He pushed himself onto his elbow as she leaned back against the soft mattress looking up at him. "Everyone has someone to share their lives with; they are willing to let another person take control of aspects of their life. I just…"

"You share your life with all your friends."

"No, that's not entirely correct."

"Yes it is. Bones you share the accomplishments, the happy moments and the painful moments. You share in all of our lives, even if it's not like Angela with Hodgins or Cam and Michelle, you still are part of our lives."

"But not really."

"It is." He insisted, "You're part of my life." She looked at him as he gently ran his hand over her cheek again. "You've always been a part of my life and I can't see it being any other way."

"What are you saying?"

"After today…. I can't take the chance of holding back and staying away. I can't take the chance that something will happen and I never got the chance to do so much because I was afraid of being hurt again."

"Booth…" She said as their eyes locked and the intensity in his gaze made her shift and give a small smile. "Are you suggesting we try us? As a couple?" He looked at her before he nodded.

"Yeah, Bones. I know you feel it and I've felt it since we first met. Let's give this a shot." She looked up at him before she gave a small nod. At the sight of her agreeing to try a relationship with him, he couldn't help but lean down and kiss her. He felt her shift placing her hands on his chest as she kissed back. He pulled apart keeping his face close to hers he smiled at her. "You're really going to try…. Us?"

"Yes, and you're sure you are ready?"

"I've always been ready Bones. No matter what I did I couldn't push you away." She watched him smile before falling back to the mattress. "Get some sleep." He said softly as they shifted to lay straight on the bed. Brennan rolled laying her head on his chest with his arms holding her tight to him as they drifted off.

Booth woke up to his alarm, opening his eyes he shut it off and looked down seeing Brennan still laying on his chest with his arms around her, his hand resting on her hip. He felt her shift as she opened her eyes and looked up at him making him smile as she only shifted enough to look into his brown eyes.

"I need to go to my apartment to get clothes." She said softly.

"Yeah."

"And you need to get Broadsky." She almost whispered.

"Yeah." He responded as his grip around her tightened before he loosened and looked back at her. "I'll get dressed and then I'll take you to you're place so you can change."

"Okay." She agreed as she sat on the side of the bed as he climbed from the bed and walked to his closet. Turning he saw her still sitting on the side of the bed looking down.

"You okay, Bones?" He asked walking over. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?" He sat beside her wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Booth… You have to be careful today." She told him as he nodded kissing her forehead.

"I will." He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "You really think I would go and get myself killed after you just agreed to be with me?"

"I've always been with you."

"Different kind of with me. You're not just my partner anymore, Bones. I love you. I'm not going anywhere. Just relax okay? I'll get Broadsky and then we'll see Vincent off and then we can relax." He saw her nod as she whipped her eyes and looked back at her. "Come on let's get going and catch the bastard." He said with a smile making her give a soft smile before they set off to get ready for the day.

Brennan heard the knock on her door making her turn and move to the door quickly from her spot at the counter. She opened the door and found Booth. She smiled and moved to the side letting him in before she wrapped her arms around him as the effects of her worry from the day began to settle. He wrapped his arms around her gently pulling her closer.

"I... I was worried." She said pulling back to look at him as he nodded. "I'm glad you're alright." Booth pulled her closer as he pushed his lips against hers. She relaxed against him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer with his hands on his hips. He pulled back but keeping his face close to hers.

"I know you were worried. I'm sorry I worried you."

"It's not you're fault that I was worried. It was a combination of chemicals being released into my system and I know what Broadsky has done. I knew what he would do if he was able to catch you."

"I wouldn't have been able to get him if it wasn't for you though."

"Where is he now?"

"He's being held in a very secure place waiting to get the bullet taken out of his leg. He's not getting out." He paused looking at her. "Why are you home anyway?"

"After we received the call that you were alright Cam sent us all home. We are going back tonight to send Vincent's body to his family in England."

"You're going to go?"

"Yes. Although he is already gone from this life, I believe that he would have liked seeing everyone there to see him on his journey back to his home country to be laid to rest." Booth smiled as he brushed back her hair looking into her light blue eyes as she locked them with his brown ones. "Will you be going?"

"I have to go talk with Cullen, but I'll meet you at the lab. Okay?" She nodded as he pulled her in for another kiss. "I love you, Bones." He whispered before turning to let himself out. "See you later tonight." He smiled seeing a small smile across her face before he left.

Later that night Booth walked into the lab with Brennan's arm wrapped around his. The sounds of the friends singing 'lime in the coconut' died as they walked farther down the hall, back towards the main lab. He looked at Brennan as she walked with her head resting on his shoulder hiding her face. He stopped making her pause as he reached out making her look up at him.

"Bones..." He trailed off seeing the tears running down her cheeks. He pulled her to him and felt her arms automatically wrap around him as she tried to control her sobs. Booth looked down the hall to see that none of their friends had realized they had stopped. "It's alright." He hushed as she gained control of her emotions and looked up at him as he gently wiped away her tears.

"I don't know why I feel like this, I just know that I feel that I was my fault for his death. If I hadn't started working with you if I hadn't allowed him to participate in-"

"Bones, it's not your fault, it's Broadsky's fault for pulling that trigger. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I've said it before, Booth. Creating strong connections with others puts many people in jeopardy. You and Cam, you and I, because of my relationships I have with everyone killers and criminals have gone after my friends."

"But because of that connection you were able to send each one of them to jail. You need to have friendships to survive. Someone with no friends or relationships at all will eventually fade away." He told her as he locked his warm, intense brown eyes with her cold, lost blue ones. "Besides, if you had no connections, if you hadn't started working with me, you and me... we wouldn't be together."

"I just don't want any more people to get hurt because of their relationship with me." Booth shook his head.

"Sometimes things happen that you have no control over but you have friends and family, people who you love and who love you to help you get through things like this. I'm not going anywhere. I told you, Bones. I love you. I knew when I first saw you. I love you." She looked up at him for a minute before her eyes brightened a bit.

"You've always spoke of love and I've always placed it as a chemical reaction in your brain when attracted to another, but... I believe I understand what you were talking about now. There is no explanation for the over powering feelings towards another."

"I love when you do your science talk. I don't understand a word you say but I love it." He saw a smile begin to cross her lips.

"It means... I love you too Booth." He grinned before he pressed his lips to hers. His hands wrapped around her, one resting on her lower back and the other cradling her head as he arms snaked around his neck. They pulled back looking at each other for a minute. "I do love you Booth."

"I know. I love you too, Bones." He smiled. "Come on we better find the others before they start their talking." She smiled and nodded as they began walking down the hallway to find where their friends went to.

Booth walked over to the table of friends and handed Brennan her wine as he stood beside her and the others all stood and sat around the table talking about their most recent case they had solved. Celebrating another murderer behind bars.

"To another freak behind bars." Angela said holding up her water as everyone laughed and clanked their glasses together.

"We should toast to them more often." Booth said as he stood beside Brennan with one hand on the back of her chair. "If it weren't for them being morons we wouldn't have jobs." He explained when everyone looked at him.

"It doesn't make sense but then again trying to think about things while hoped up on hormones isn't the best thing to do." Angela shrugged with a smile making the others laugh.

"This was a hard case but we still got our guy in the end." Cam said.

"Like we always do." Booth added.

"Together." Brennan smiled as they all raised their drinks. Angela started talking to Hodgins, Sweets and Wendell about the baby as Booth looked at Brennan as she set her cup on the table glancing at him with a small smirk.

"You feeling okay now?" Booth asked as Brennan gave a nod.

"Yes, now that this case is finally over. I was becoming over whelmed with everything from this case. I am hoping I'll be able to sleep better now that it is over."

"Yeah, I'm sure you will. You don't have to worry about anything now." He smiled as he let his fingers run against her back. "We have the weekend off so you can get plenty of rest."

"Don't you have to get Parker tomorrow?"

"Yeah I'll pick him up from school and then I have him for the weekend and I have to drop him off at school on Monday."

"Are you going to take him to the aquarium again? He seems to love that place."

"Yeah, he can't get enough of it." Booth shifted closer to Brennan as someone tried to walk behind him but instead of moving away, he stayed where he was making it easier for his fingers to run across Brennan's upper back without their friends noticing. They didn't want to hide it from their friends but they weren't ready to share their relationship just yet.

"Dr. B? You coming over this weekend? Angela's having the baby shower on Saturday." Hodgins said with a bright smile.

"I'm sure I will be able to attend." She said with a small smile.

"Booth?"

"I have Parker this weekend." Booth shrugged.

"There's going to be a few other kids there, you can bring him. He will love the pool." Angela smiled as Booth shook his head.

"Okay, fine. Parker would kill me if I said no." He chuckled as the others laughed knowing how much Parker loved the pool. After several hours of talking about Angela and Hodgins unborn child they began leaving, heading home "I got it, Bones." He said and watched Brennan smile as she walked out with Angela and Hodgins to say good-bye while Booth paid for hers and his drinks. Cam reached out touching Booth's arm as he reached into his pocket for money.

"You and Dr. Brennan are sleeping together." She blurted out, as Booth looked at her confused at first then flustered as he tried to say something back.

"What? No. Me and Bones... No…"

"Come on, it's obvious with the way you two act. And that look she gave you before she left. It's the kind of look a woman gives her boyfriend. When did it happen? When did you actually tell her?"

"We didn't sleep together, Camille. Bones and me just figured some stuff out about a week ago, when she stayed at my place after the shooting." Cam looked at him. "We talked and it's not like we've really had time to do anything at all with that last case. Go ask her if you don't believe me. You know Bones will tell you flat out." Cam narrowed her eyes before she walked passed him making him shake his head as he left the money on the table and walked out to find Cam walking up to Brennan who was still talking to Angela and Hodgins. Groaning to himself, he walked over to stand beside Brennan and saw the quick look and smile Angela shot him. Obviously Brennan told Angela what was going on between them, now it was Hodgins who had no clue.

"You might want to just spill it." Booth heard from Angela as he walked over. "It looks like Cam is about to burst." She smiled as Cam's face lit up as she smiled.

"So it's true." She smiled as Hodgins looked at the group lost.

"What's true?" Hodgins asked as Brennan looked at Cam.

"What are you talking about?" She asked as Cam glanced at Booth who sighed.

"She wants to know about… Us. She has some ideas of what happened." Booth explained as Brennan looked from him back to Cam as Hodgins' mouth fell open. "Go ahead ask her since you obviously don't believe me." He said as Cam looked at Brennan.

"I'll take your word for it, Seeley." Cam said slyly. "I'll see you on Monday; I better get home to Michelle." She told everyone before walking down the sidewalk.

"We'll see you later Sweetie." Angela hugged Brennan before pulling Hodgins away before he started saying things that would make Booth shoot him. Brennan and Booth looked at each other before they turned, linking arms and walking down the street to the SUV.

"My place or yours?" Booth asked making Brennan smile. They had been spending the nights together for the last week, although most of the time it was them accidentally falling asleep on one of their couches while going over a case file or just dropping into a bed exhausted from the day.

"Yours is closer and I do have my bag of clothes I use when I'm stuck at the lab."

"My place it is." He smiled as they climbed into the SUV and started to his apartment.

Once there Brennan grabbed her bag and walked with Booth up the winding stairs to his apartment. Booth opened the door and dropped his keys on the kitchen counter as he pulled his jacket off then looked at Brennan as he pulled his shoes off. She set her bag on the couch before pulling her coat off and setting it on the back of the couch. He stopped at the doorway to the living room from the kitchen as she pulled several files from her bag making him smirk. Slowly Booth walked closer to her and reached around pulling her back to him as he pulled the files from her hands.

"Booth." She protested but couldn't help a small smile as she felt his warm breath on her ear as he whispered.

"No work tonight. We just finished a case; let's just forget about work for the rest of the night."

"I have to grade those papers." She whispered back as she turned her head slightly to look at him. "Just because we solve a case does not mean my tasks at the lab are finished. The Jeffersonian pays me to identify the remains in bone storage and-." He kissed her making her go quiet before they pulled apart and she narrowed her eyes. "That wasn't very nice." He smiled as she looked back at the files and grabbed them from his hand.

"Come on Bones." He said kissing her neck softly making her sigh. He paused and kissed again then moved slightly to kiss lower on her neck before she started to lean back into him.

"Booth…" She complained half heatedly as he found a spot that made a soft moan escape her throat as he head lulled back against his shoulder and to the side letting him have more access. "I have work to do." She tried to say only to have Booth begin to wrap his arms around her to pull her tight to his chest as he continued to place lovingly soft kisses on her neck. She turned in his arms and captured his lips with hers. Booth gently pulled the files from her hand and put them on the couch before snaking his arms around her once again. Booth was trying to pull himself back from losing control when he felt her arms grip his shirt pulling him closer, and harder into the kiss. They pulled apart and looked at each other trying to fight for control over their emotions, but the lust and need they held in their eyes for the other showed clear.

Booth ran his hand against her cheek gently before threading his fingers in her hair and pulling her back to him. Once again, kissing Brennan pulled Booth closer as he deepened the kiss. The passion each was pushing into the kiss was starting to make them feel weak at the knees. The love shared between them, even if Brennan would not openly admit it was flowing free and quickly causing things to spin. They started making their way towards the bedroom as Booth pushed Brennan against the wall pulling her shirt over her head while she pushed his button up shirt off his shoulders. Booth pushed himself against her before he felt her beginning to undo his belt while she kicked her shoes off and he unbuttoned her pants letting them fall to the ground.

The belt slid free and landed on the floor with a thud before Booth started moving them to the bedroom again only to have Brennan push him into the wall undoing his pants, pushing them from his hips and letting them pull on the floor as he kicked out of them. They both now stood in their under ware, pressed against each other when suddenly Brennan pushed his boxers down, knelt and took him in her mouth all in one swift motion. Booth never saw it coming, taking a quick intake of air as he felt her lips close around his member. He let a soft groan go as she started her work, rubbing and sucking, all in perfect rhythm as he pushed back against the wall closing his eyes as he tried to stop from falling from the pleasure. He felt his body start to quiver as he griped the table beside him. He felt Brennan quicken the pace and before he could tell her to stop, he was thrown over the edge.

"God Bones." he said breathing heavy. He looked at her as she stood up, he couldn't take it anymore. He wrapped his arms around her, lifting her as he started for the bedroom quickly. To his surprise, she wrapped her legs around his waist before he locked his lips with hers once again before laying her on the bed. She dropped her bra on the floor as he pulled her panties off and went back to kissing her neck earning soft moans as he hit particular spots. His hands roamed her waist up to her rib cage, gently massaging her breasts before one hand slid down slowly to her hip, then her inner thigh before finally reaching its destination between her legs. She moaned as he began to rub slowly moving to slip his fingers inside of her, earning a louder moan. He smirked as he continued to pleasure her, rubbing and moving as he kissed her neck, then moving down to her breasts he took one in his mouth and he heard her gasp in pleasure before he moved to the other making her arch her back. She felt the warmth beginning to build, with a few more rubs and a few more kisses her body trembled in desire, and she let out a louder moan.

Brennan looked at him before pulling him closer to give him a deep kiss as she grabbed his member and placed it at her entrance. He shifted his weight before pushing in making both shiver with delight at the feel of being connected to the other, finally after so many years. They looked at each other as they tried to pull back control but the second Booth pulled back slightly and pushed back in everything was lost. Brennan turned them so that Booth was lying on the bed and she was on top lifting and dropping, shifting and sliding. She didn't know what had come over her. She had never felt this way with any other man before. She was losing her emotional walls, she was open completely to him, she was losing her control over herself and it excited her even more.

Booth turned them and continued the rhythm she has started, pushing deeper on angles, she hadn't hit yet making her moan in pure pleasure. He quickened his pace, shifting slightly here and there to hear her moan and gasp as she clutched the sheets, closing her eyes as her moans and gasps became louder and louder.

"Oh god." She gasped as he plunged into her again and again. "Booth." She moaned making his body shiver at the sound of his name being uttered in a husky voice from the woman of his dreams. "Ah. God. Booth." She cried out in pleasure as her body quaked and shivered as he pushed once more and his own body tensed. He rolled to the side both breathing heavy, trying to gain back the control they lost as Brennan pushed herself up onto her elbow to look at Booth with a smile. He smiled back as he looked at her and their breath became easier again. "You were right, Booth."

"About what?"

"About nearly breaking the laws of physics. You were right that when you do it right you can almost break the laws of physics."

"A miracle." He added with a smirk before he turned wrapping his arms around her as he kissed her making her fall back to the pillow as the desire, the need, the lust built back up and they spent another two hours pushing the laws of physics as far as they would go.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Booth and Brennan sat at Angela's baby shower watching as she unwrapped gifts and everyone celebrated. Booth saw Brennan shift in her seat at his touch. He knew she was itching to get back home. This morning had been full of turning and twisting the sheets as their bodies became one. They had to cut it short to make it to the baby shower in time and even they ran late. Brennan loved Angela with all her heart, she loved the unborn baby with all her heart too but at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to be alone with Booth in the privacy of one of their apartments. Once they started having sex, the dam broke and they could barely keep their hands off the other. They set their walls for work knowing the weekends they would have to themselves but they were stuck at the party and there's was no way to leave without anyone starting their rumors and speeches. Booth glanced at Brennan who shifted again. Booth leaned forward and to the side to whisper in her ear.

"Why are you squirming so much?" He asked making her look at him in disbelief before he smiled. "We have a few more hours before Parker's done his thing with Rebecca..." He trailed off as he moved closer to her ear making her take a slow breath as he scooted his chair closer to her.

"You do realize there are many way I can cause you to be squirming also. Right?" Booth looked at her and ginned before he felt her hand gently glide up his leg to rest on his upper thigh, close enough to make him want more but far enough away to keep it casual. She gave him a look that never ceased to turn him on before she looked back at Angela as she unwrapped another present.

"Call my phone."

"Why?"

"I have an idea, just go with it." She looked at him before pulling her phone from her purse. "Call me in 30 seconds." He whispered before kissing her cheek and walking into the kitchen were a few of the men were hiding.

"You finally get away?" Asked on as booth nodded, grabbing a beer. "Baby showers are great for the women but it sucks for the guys."

"You got that right. Well, all but Hodgins." Booth smirked making the other men laugh as Hodgins walked into the kitchen making them all try to stop laughing. "Hey Hodgins." Booth smirked taking a drink of his beer. "Having fun?"

"This is torture." He told Booth who only nodded as the other men tried to hide their smiles. Booth's phone rang making him pull it from his pocket.

"Booth..." He paused pretending to listen. "Yeah... yeah, I'll pick him up." He closed the phone and put it away. "The reason to suffer through this is to get an excuse to leave someone else's." Booth smirked. "Got to go get Parker." Hodgins and the other men looked at him in envy as he walked in to get Brennan since he had given her a ride. Angela set the last present to the side as Brennan walked up to her.

"Ange I would love to stay but Booth has to get Parker a little early." She said as Angela looked between the two.

"Go, you two don't need to lie to me. I totally get it. Go have fun with Agent Studly." She grinned as Booth rolled his eyes. Brennan smirked as she turned and left with Booth, neither waiting time getting in the car before Booth drove them to his place since it was closer. They barely made it into the apartment when they were striping their clothes on their way to the bedroom.

Brennan couldn't believe what was going on with her. She was like a completely different person, one with no self-control when they were alone together. She could see his control be chipped away the longer they are forced to keep their hands to themselves around others or at work. She knew he was surprised by his reaction to her as well. They had always had such good control but recently it was like there never had been a restraint between them. They now lay breathing heavy for the third time since they had arrived home an hour and a half ago and it was almost time to get up, dressed and to go pick up Parker. Brennan sighed happily, as she lay against his chest.

"We need to get up and go get Parker." Brennan sighed as Booth let out a slow breath. "You ready?" She asked as she shifted to look up at him as he grinned.

"Five more minutes." He grinned before rolling and positioning his body over hers once again.

Booth pulled up in front of Rebecca's house. He and Brennan had decided that it was time to tell Parker about them being together. They were going to keep it quiet a little longer but earlier in the week, Brennan had dropped news that changed everything. They had been walking to the SUV after seeing the newborn baby Michael Staccato Vincent Hodgins when she stopped them and told him she was pregnant, that he was the father of the child growing in her womb. They knew they couldn't continue to keep it from everyone, they only have a few people still didn't know and they were going to start with Parker this weekend. Booth knocked and waited for it to be opened and saw Rebecca.

"He's grabbing his stuff." She said moving to the side to let him in. "How's your friend?"

"She's good. The baby was a boy and he's healthy, everything was good."

"What did they name him?"

"Michael Staccato Vincent Hodgins."

"That's a big name."

"Yeah, well Angela's dad wanted to name him Staccato Mamba. They agreed to use it as a middle name."

"Where'd they get Vincent?"

"It's the name of the kid who was shot in the lab last month." He said as she looked at him.

"Is everything okay Seeley?"

"Yeah things are great." He smirked thinking about how he went to sleep and woke up with Brennan wrapped in his arms and now they were having a child of their own. "Yeah, Bones and me got some thing's worked out actually."

"Really? That's good." She smiled as he nodded.

"Yeah, we've been together for the last month."

"That's great."

"Yeah, we were going to wait a little longer before telling everyone about it but we don't have too much of a choice now."

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"She's pregnant." He said watching and waiting to see his ex's reaction. Her smiled grew before she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly congratulating him on everything that had happened.

"That's wonderful Seeley. You two have been playing games for so long." She paused and took a step back. "You're both really in this right?" She asked knowing how hard it would be for him if she weren't fully in the relationship.

"Yeah, we're both in this for the long haul. We love each other, we really do."

"I'm really happy for you Seeley. I really am." She smiled as Booth smirked. "I know you two will be great parents. Parker's always coming home talking about everything he learned from her. His grades are even coming up and his teachers are always calling to say how well he's doing."

"She's great with him. Has him into everything." Booth watched as Rebecca smiled and nodded as Parker ran down the stairs.

"Hi Dad!" He called as he pulled his bag over his shoulder.

"Hey bud." Booth smiled before he hugged his son. "You got everything?"

"Yeah." He said with a nod. "Is Bones going to have lunch with us tomorrow?" He asked anxiously, hoping he would be able to spend some time talking with her this weekend. Especially after, he received his grade on his science test yesterday.

"Actually she's going to meet us at the diner for lunch today." Rebecca watched as Parker's face lit up and Booth chuckled. "We have a surprise for you."

"Really what is it?"

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you. You'll see when we get there." Booth looked at Rebecca. "Thanks, I'll drop him off tomorrow."

"Seeley, if you want, why don't you keep him and drop him off at school on Monday." Booth looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah, sure." He looked back at Parker. "Go grab your stuff for school." Parker grinned and dropped his overnight bag with some things he always carried between the two homes. Booth shook his head and picked up the bag. "Having a lot piled on you at work?"

"Yeah, they want a few more projects done by Friday."

"You need me to take him for a few days?"

"Could you? I mean I know you have work and all..."

"It's fine. He's in school during the day and Bones will be able to keep an eye on him at the lab if we get stuck on a case."

"Thanks."

"Hey, I'm his dad it's what I'm here for. If you need me to take care of him any time just give me a call."

"I know, I just know your job is-"

"I can always work things. It's easier for me to move things around than you to work things at your job. You know that." She looked at him and nodded.

"Yeah, thanks Seeley." She said as Parker ran down the stairs again with his book bag.

"Say bye to your Mom." Booth told Parker. Parker walked over and hugged his mother.

"Be good for your Dad." He nodded and took off to the door as Booth rolled his eyes and Rebecca sighed. "I'll see you later." Booth nodded and led Parker to the SUV before heading off to the diner to meet Brennan.

Parker ran in and over to Brennan sitting at a table. He climbed in the chair across from her and grinned at her smile.

"Hi Bones." He said as Booth walked over and sat next to Brennan with a small smile.

"Hi Parker." She smiled.

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"I got an A on my science test." He smiled as Brennan smiled brightly at him.

"That's wonderful. You see, I told you, you had nothing to worry about." She smiled and saw him nod. "You're a very bright boy; I don't understand why you worry about your school work." The three ordered their food.

"I'm not as smart as you and Dr. Hodgins."

"Well Dr. Hodgins and I have many years of experience in our fields; we also have the advantage of age."

"So I could be as smart as you and Dr. Hodgins?"

"Yes, with time and studying I believe it is possible."

"What about me being as smart as Dad?" He asked as the food was laid in front of them.

"I believe you will be able to reach that level of intelligence also." He grinned as Booth looked at Brennan with a small smile as she turned to look at him. Brennan gave Booth a small smile before they heard Parker laugh.

"You guys gonna make out?" He laughed as Booth and Brennan looked at each other a moment longer before they looked at Parker.

"Why do you ask a question like that?"

"'Cause you guy look like boyfriends and girlfriends do when they're going to make out." He looked between them and then cocked his head. As Brennan looked at Booth as if asking for guidance.

"What would you say if we were boyfriend and girlfriend?" Booth asked as Parker looked between them.

"That would be cool." He smiled as Brennan and Booth gave a small smile. "Are you?" He asked almost excitedly, hoping it was true that they were together. Booth nodded and watched as Parker's face lit up before he cheered. "That's awesome!"

"I'm glad you think so." Brennan smiled at him.

"This mean we get to have the pool all the time?" Booth rolled his eyes as Brennan laughed softly and looked at Booth who looked into her eyes and couldn't help but smile. Everything was going perfectly.

"What would you say about having a younger sibling?" Brennan asked him making him pause and think.

"I think it would be cool to have someone to play with." He shrugged.

"That is good to hear."

"Why?"

"Because you're going to be a big brother." Booth said making his son look between them before a bright smile crossed his face. "What do you think?"

"That's awesome!" He cheered making Booth and Brennan smile before looking at each other. The three ordered and talked about how things would be different with Brennan and Booth together and having a baby and Parker was enthusiastic the entire time, excited to have them together and to have a little sibling on the way. "So I'm gonna have a baby brother?"

"Or sister." Booth added. "We don't know if it's a boy or girl yet."

"I hope it's a boy. Then I can teach him all the stuff you teach me."

"You can teach a girl the same things, you know." Booth told him as he thought about it. "Besides having a little sister is a big responsibility. You have to make sure you can take care of her when she needs help."

"Girls don't need help. Bones doesn't." He said making Booth look at Brennan who gave a small smile to the boy.

"Actually Parker. Everyone needs help sometimes. I am very strong and capable but there are times that I need help understanding, or I need help when I am sad or hurt and sometimes when I am in danger. It's not a bad thing to need help and it's always good to have a loved one there to help with anything." She explained and watched him think for a moment with his head tilted a bit before he nodded.

"I guess you're right." He shrugged thinking about everything she had just told him.

"So you going to be able to help her if you have a little sister?" Booth asked making Parker look at him for a second before a smile spread and he nodded.

"Maybe a little sister won't be too bad."

"Right. Now go get cleaned up before we leave." Parker nodded and ran off to the bathroom to wash the syrup from his hands and face.

"Rebecca has a lot of work so she asked if I could watch him for the week." Booth said when Parker was out of earshot. Brennan looked at Booth and nodded. "That okay with you?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't it be alright with me?"

"I just wanted to make sure. We're together now, we make these decisions together."

"He's your son; you have responsibilities as his father to care for him. Besides Parker seems to enjoy when we have time to talk."

"You're going to turn my son into a squint aren't you?" He smirked as she gave him a small smile. "Well it's not all that bad if he becomes a brilliant scientist, and then he can teach our baby everything there is to learn." He grinned. He had been saying 'our baby' over and over the entire week, ever since she had told him she was pregnant with his child. He still couldn't believe it. He had the woman of his dreams, they were starting a life together, and they were beginning a family together and Parker fight in with no problems. Brennan was like no other woman. She truly loved Parker, almost as much as if he were her own son and she treated him just like he was. Everything was perfect. He couldn't wait for their lives to unravel together.

Booth opened his eyes and turned off the alarm before looking at Brennan curled in front of him. He couldn't help but smile seeing her beside him. Even after seven and a half months of falling asleep and waking up to her, he still couldn't believe he finally had her. They were a couple, going to have a baby and were living in a house that was not his or hers, it was theirs. Relaxing back into his pillow, he wrapped his arm around her waist, resting his hand on her eight-month pregnant belly. Brennan took a deep breath as she started to wake up. Booth smiled kissing her cheek.

"Come on Bones, it's time to get up." He whispered as she rolled over slightly to look at him. "I'll start breakfast." He kissed her before climbing from bed and setting about making them breakfast in the kitchen while Brennan got ready for the day. Once she was done in the bathroom, he took over while she finished breakfast. Booth phone rang making Brennan walk to the other side of the counter to grab it.

"Agent Booth's phone." She answered as Booth walked into the kitchen; Brennan told the person to hold on and handed it to Booth.

"Booth." He said holding the phone between his head and shoulder as he finished buttoning his shirt. "Yeah, thanks." He hung up putting his phone back onto the counter top. "We got a case."

"Where?"

"In Pennsylvania." He said obviously not happy about having to drive that far. Brennan watched as he put his tie around his neck, putting his phone in his pocket before she placed her now empty plate in the sink and turned to face him. He smirked as she reached out, tying his tie. "You up for the trip?" He asked and saw a small smile cross her lips.

"It's a case of a murder victim, Booth. It's not like we can pick and choose what cases to take and what ones not to." She saw him look at her as she shook her head. "I have three more weeks before my due date. You have no reason to be worrying about me going into labor as of now, but because I know how you're alpha male instincts are, remember the doctor said everything is perfect and progressing normally." He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her letting her rest her hands on his chest as they kissed.

"It's a good thing I have you to remind me. Now let's get going." He kissed her cheek as she nodded. They quickly packed what they would need in case they needed to stay, and drove to his office to get the case file.

"Dr. Brennan, how are you feeling?" Asked Cullen as he stood in Booth's office to tell him about the new case. The man, once annoyed at the anthropologist, was now more open and happy with her, especially since she helped find out what happened to his daughter. He and his wife searched the world finding every possible treatment there was until a new experimental treatment was found. After a year of treatment, the cancer showed signs of disappearing, and after another year, she was declared in remission. She was now twenty years old and enjoying her life as an aspiring artist.

"I am feeling as to be expected at the stage of pregnancy I am in." She said as Cullen handed the file to Booth letting him glance through it quickly.

"Bones." Booth said handing her several papers to look at as he continued to read. "They have pretty much nothing." He said looking up at his boss.

"And that's where you come in." Cullen smirked before leaving the partners alone.

"They haven't even been able to determine the sex of the victim." Brennan said furrowing her brows. "It doesn't state there are any injuries to the pelvic bone, any with a medical degree could tell the sex. These notes are crudely done." She complained as Booth nodded dropping the file on his desk.

"Looks like they don't know what they're doing." Booth sighed when they heard a knock at the door making both partners look up to see Charlie and a tall man with buzz cut black hair and brown eyes. "Yeah?"

"This detective says he has to talk to you about your new case." Booth nodded and waved the man in.

"It's been a while." The man smirked as Booth looked at him before he smirked.

"Yeah it has Tom. How's things been?" He asked walking around his desk to shake the man's hand.

"Busy, went to college, partied, got into the police and then turned detective. Looks like you've been doing pretty well since you left."

"Yeah, well you know." Booth smirked before turning to introduce Brennan to Tom. "Tom, this is Dr. Temperance Brennan. She's a forensic anthropologist at the Jeffersonian. Her and her team help id the victims and find out what happened to them." Tom nodded as he walked father in. "Bones, Tom Moon. We went to high school together, pretty much made up the football team." Brennan and Tom shook hands.

"The famous Dr. Brennan, best author in the world." Tom smiled as Brennan shook her head.

"That is not a fact, I may be on the best seller's list but I am in fact not the best writer in the world. There is no way to determine that." Tom looked at Booth who had made his way back around his desk to the file.

"So you're the one they threw the PA park murder?"

"Looks that way." Booth said as Brennan sat in a seat and continued to read what she had. "This was yours before they threw it to the FBI?"

"Yeah. Been trying to find out who the person is and what happened to them for a week now. We ran everything we could and still came up with nothing. You think you could get this closed?"

"Yeah, that's why they gave it to us." Booth smirked as Brennan looked up at him. "We've been teamed up and solving murders like this for almost 7 years now. Never failed a case."

"How do you know this is murder?" Brennan asked making both men look at her.

"The body was found smashed up under a holly tree in the park." Tom said as if it were obvious. "There should be pictures in the file." Booth looked back at the file flipping through before handing them to Brennan. "A local was walking his dog and the dog went nuts and took off towards the body. The guy called the cops, my department was called in and we got to work."

"You have been trying to solve this for a week you said?" Tom nodded. "Where are the remains now?"

"On their way to the morgue here." Brennan looked at Booth as he picked up his phone. "What?" He asked confused.

"Yeah there's remains coming in from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... Yeah... I want them transferred to the Jeffersonian... Yeah." He hung up and looked at Brennan. "The remains just got here; they're sending them over to the lab now."

"The lab?"

"Yeah, where she works." Booth said as he closed the file. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"My department sent me to keep an eye on things. They have worked with the FBI before and every time nothing gets done. They want to make sure things are being taken care of."

"Right, well you come along and just don't talk to the squints. You really don't want to be pulled down that road." Brennan pushed her self, back to her feet and handed the papers to Booth to put back in the file before they left for the lab, calling Cam on the way.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Booth walked beside Brennan with his hand on her lower back as tom followed them. Brennan walked to her office, changing her jacket quickly as Cam popped her head in.

"The remains for the new case just arrived." She turned and left as Brennan pulled her jacket shut and walked towards the platform as Booth started looking at the file again.

"You have no idea." Angela said as she walked in. "Brennan said you had a friend over." She smiled as Booth shook his head. "Hi, I'm Angela."

"Tom. Tom Moon." He smiled, shaking her hand.

"So, tell me, was Booth always so cocky?" Tom looked at Booth as he looked up from the file.

"Don't you have some faces to draw or something?" She smiled at him as he closed the file. "Where's the little guy?"

"Hodgins has him. He's trying to teach him about those bugs of his." She scoffed as Booth smirked. As Hodgins walked in holding the baby boy.

"Dr. B needs some help on the platform." He said handing the baby over to Angela who smiled.

"Dr. B?" Tom asked.

"That was Hodgins, Angela's husband. He's the bug and slime guy. Bones probably found some stuff for him to play with." Booth explained as he looked back at the file trying to read.

"Bones?" Booth nodded as Angela smiled. "You talking about Dr. Temperance Brennan?" Booth looked up again to see his friend confused. "Why do you call her Bones? It hardly seems fitting."

"Because she works with bones."

"He's called her that since they first started working together." Angela clarified. "Why don't I show you around a bit and let Booth work while I'm waiting for my part?"

"That sounds good to me."

"Let me just put Michael back in day care before Cam finds out again. I'll be right back." She left the two men in the room as Booth walked over and sat on the couch. Angela returned a few minutes later to show Tom around the lab. "So, you know Booth from high school?" She asked as they walked out earning a glance from Booth.

"Yeah, we were the stars." He chuckled. "Why does everyone call him by his last name?"

"Well he was introduced to us as Booth, and it just stuck, like everyone calls Brennan, Brennan or Dr. Brennan, and my husband has a habit of calling her Dr. B."

"And Seeley calls her Bones."

"Yes, it's his, for lack of a better word, pet name for her. He's been calling her that since they first worked together and he's refused to stop. She gave up trying and started to like it as time went on." She walked him over to the platform. Swiping her badge, she led him over to where Brennan, Hodgins and Cam were bent over the remains. He paused watching them work.

"Hodgins, this fragment here." Brennan said as she pointed to a dark brown mark and placed the camera over it. "Take a swab and see if you are able to discern what it could be."

"That's not from the body." Cam said walking around to stand beside Brennan and look. "Could it have been from the area the remains were found in?"

"I'll take a look and see what i can get." Hodgins said swapping it and leaving the platform.

"It appears the victim is female." Brennan said lifting a section of the pelvis to examine before placing it back down and looking over the remains again. "Between 20 and 25 years of age. There is extensive damage to the skeleton."

"The soft tissue is torn to pieces." Cam added.

"Most likely from scavengers searching for food in the cold temperatures."

"I'll see if I can get DNA." Cam took a piece of skin and left as Angela and Tom walked closer.

"Angela as soon as we are finished with the remains I will have the bones cleaned so you can start on the facial reconstruction." Brennan said glancing up at her before getting back to work.

"I'll be right back." Angela said leaving Tom with Brennan.

"How long have you been doing this sort of thing?" Tom asked.

"I have been an Anthropologist for almost fifteen years."

"What about an author?"

"I took to writing novels shortly after working with Booth. Although I enjoy writing the novels, I enjoy working to speak for the victims and solve murders."

"So what's your husband say about your work?"

"I am not married."

"I thought... Pregnant and everything..."

"No. This child was not planned with a spouse." She said shaking her head.

"Well any guy would be lucky to have you around." He said making her smile as Angela walked back up to them. "This place looks like you guys are super scientists or something."

"Something like that." Angela smiled.

"Got anything Bones?" Booth asked swiping his badge and walking over to her as she straightened to look at him as he stopped beside her.

"Female approximately 20-25 years of age. I need to clean the bones and resemble them to give you much else since they seem to be fractured and fragments in multiple areas."

"I'll head to the office and see what I can pull up for you. Let me know if you find anything else." He looked at Tom. "You want to tag a long or finish getting the tour of this place?"

"I'll hang around here. My only job is to make sure things are being done, no need for me to run all over." He smirked as Booth nodded. Angela led Tom off the platform as Booth and Brennan spoke a few minutes longer. "She is something else. Never met a woman quite like her." He grinned as Angela stopped and looked at him. "She's probably every guys dream."

"Yeah, she may be in the dreams of guys but she's one guys reality."

"She has a boyfriend? She said the kid wasn't planned or anything and she seemed..."

"Brennan is hard to understand sometimes. Booth is the only one who understands her for the most part and he would probably kill you if you start trying to mess around with her."

"Kill me?"

"Yeah, Booth is very protective of Brennan." He looked at her Angela saw Tom look back at Brennan and Booth again. The two were still talking before Booth smiled as Brennan pulled her gloves off saying something to him. He grinned responding before Brennan pushed him making him laugh as he left. "They aren't the normal people." She smiled. "Well I still have rest of the lab to show you or you can go with Booth since you know Brennan's not available anymore."

"Nah. I'm good here. Like I said, my job is to just make sure work is being done on the case."

"Okay then, on we go." She smiled and she started leading him towards the stairs to show him bone storage.

Booth walked into the lab only to have Angela walk over and start pulling him to the side to talk with him. He looked at her confused.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I know Tom is you're friend and all but keep an eye on him. Before you left earlier we were talking and he started talking about Brennan..."

"What do you mean?"

"He was saying how she should be every guys dream and all that stuff, I told him she was with someone and he dropped it for the rest of the day, but still..."

"Yeah, thanks Ange." She nodded as he turned and started towards Brennan's office.

"She's in the bone room, Booth." Cam said as he walked over to him and they started walking towards the bone room. "She's been in there ever since the bones were cleaned about four hours ago." They stopped at the doorway seeing Tom watching curious as Brennan examined each bone.

"Hey Bones" He said making Tom look at him quickly but there was no reaction from Brennan.

"She's been like that to everyone who talks to her." Tom told him. "She okay?" Booth smirked as Cam sighed and walked away.

"She's fine." Booth told him as he walked closer to Brennan. "She's just stuck." He stopped at the base of the table watching as Brennan worked. "She gets like this when she's not as smart as the killer." He grinned as her eyes left the rib she was studying and stopped on him. "Hey, there Bones."

"I am only confused about the weapon that had been used. It appears to be a stab wound but nothing that is in the database nor anything I've seen before." Booth furrowed his brow as he walked closer to her to look at the rib she was holding.

"The famous Dr. Brennan is stumped? Now this is history." He smirked as she narrowed her eyes at him before looking back at the bone. "So what's the problem?"

"It is definitely a stab wound that was created. There are five wounds from stabbings and the rest of the fracturing, I believe, is the result of a vehicle hitting the victim several times. The markings of the wound tracts do not match anything I've seen before."

"Okay, so it's a strange object." He said looking down as Brennan lifted another rib and held them anatomically correct. "It's a circle."

"Hey, we got a hit on our vic." Angela said walking in to see Booth and Brennan looking at the bones in her hands as Tom watching anxiously wanting to know what was going on. Brennan laid the bones back down and pulled her gloves off as she, Booth and Tom followed Angela to her office. They stopped in front of the screen as Cam looked over from studying the information.

"That's the girl in there?" Tom asked as they saw a picture of a young woman with dirty blond hair and blue eyes.

"Elisa Alverez. Missing for the last three months, this is her DMV picture." Angela explained. "I could only pull up this."

"That's fine, it's good, Angela." Booth said as he pulled his phone from his pocket. "I'll call and get her file pulled." He said before walking out.

"Did you figure the weapon out yet?" Angela asked as Brennan shook her head and left to go back to the bone room.

"She always completely zone out like that?" Tom asked as Angela and Cam nodded.

"Yeah, she only does it when she gets confused or stumped on something." Angela explained before he left to find Brennan in the Bone room. He stopped at the doorway as he heard Booth.

"Remember to take a break once in a while. You have Angela and Cam worried about you and the baby."

"I'll be fine. You know I will take a break when I need to."

"I know, we all just are on edge with how close it is to your due date." Tom heard them pause. "Just take it easy I'll pick you up about five and we'll get you something to eat. Anything you want. How's that?"

"I need to identify the murder weapon." She protested.

"You'll figure it out. You always do." Tom walked around the corner as Booth turned away from her as she gave a small smile and shook her head, flicking her eyes back to the bone in her hand. "Hey Tom. Want to come with me?"

"Sure, got nothing else to do around here." He smirked and started out as Booth turned back to Brennan.

"I'll be back at five and you better be done or be ready to pick back up tomorrow." She gave him a gentle glare before he bent giving her a gently kiss on her lip. "I'll see you later." She nodded and he left, letting her engross herself back into her work.

Hodgins walked into Angela's office seeing her sitting at her desk drawing at Michael slept in his playpen to the side. She smiled seeing her look up at him and put her finger to her mouth telling him to be quiet.

"Did he just fall asleep?" Hodgins asked.

"Yeah, he really didn't want to so I talked to Cam and got her to agree to let me keep him in here for a little bit. It took a while but he gave in finally." Hodgins slowly walked over and looked down at his son. "So what are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting for my results to show up. Booth and his friend left about an hour ago to get some files from the FBI, so we should know more about our vic when he gets back."

"Where's Brennan?"

"She's in the bone room back to making the dead talk."

"Booth let her stay in there? He's the only one who can get her to leave or take breaks. He knows that."

"Yeah well I'm sure he wouldn't have left her in there if he didn't think she would." Angela sighed as she looked at her husband who only smiled at her. "I know you're worried about her and you're anxious about her going into labor. She was the same way about you, that's what Booth told me anyway."

"I know I just... She's my best friend. I'm worried about her and my little niece." She smiled brightly as Hodgins couldn't help but smile and shake his head.

"Booth wouldn't let anything happen to either of them, Angie. He knows how she is."

"I guess you're right." Suddenly Michael started to fuss from the playpen making both parents look at him.

"I'll get him; I'm still waiting on the results." He shrugged before walking over to pick his son up.

Booth and Tom walked off the elevator and towards his office when Charlie walked over to them.

"The file for your case is on your desk. I pulled everything I could find."

"Yeah, thanks Charlie." The man nodded and walked off towards his desk while Booth walked into his office to find the file right where Charlie had said. "Okay, Elisa Alverez. 21 years old. She met with her friend to exchange items after they left an apartment and she wasn't seen again. Her parents made the missing persons report when she didn't show up at home the next day. The friends that met with her were questioned and the cops took it no farther."

"Why not?" Tom asked

"Says they felt no need to take it farther because of the stories panned out."

"Okay, so the friends panned out what about the family?"

"Doesn't say anything about them. I'll talk to Bones and we can head out to talk to the parents."

"I thought she was still working on the bones."

"Yeah, she'll be at it for hours. If she can get enough info from them she'll go to talk to the family, but if not she'll stay here and I'll go talk to the family."

"I just thought... You know..." Tom trailed off as Booth looked at him. "Her being pregnant and all."

"Yeah well we do our jobs. We have work to do and just because she's pregnant doesn't mean she would let it affect either of our work." He said looking at his old friend.

"In fact their solve rates have increased since the news broke and they make my job a whole lot easier to put those killer behind bars." Caroline said as she walked into the office.

"What's going on?" Booth asked her.

"I got a date for the trial for the Timmer case."

"The one from ten months ago?"

"That's the one. They have the date for next month."

"Next month? When next month?"

"The 28th." She said looking at Booth curious.

"Bones is due the 15th. There's no way she can make it."

"Sherrie, this case relies on the two of you and your testimony."

"Caroline-."

"I'll talk to the judge and try to get things changed. But if it doesn't work-."

"I'll talk to Bones. The baby should be born by then; she can pop in for the testimony and then leave." She looked at him before giving a small smile.

"I'll let you know what the judge says; you take care of the Dr. and that little girl." Booth nodded as she turned and left, leaving the two men get back to looking over the file.

"So who was that?"

"Caroline Julian. She's the prosecutor for the FBI."

"Everyone knows about Brennan?"

"Yeah, everyone found out after things were straightened out with us."

"I guess you had a lot to work out with your work and all." Booth snorted at remembering everything they had to work through after she told him she was pregnant with his child.

"That's an understatement." Booth paused as he looked at his desk to see a picture of him sitting on a bench with her at the christening of Michael. "She never left my side and after one of her interns was killed she saw how fast life goes. It's started everyone thinking about their futures." He smirked as he looked back at the file. "So family first and then we'll check out the friends."

"You're the boss." Booth sat at his desk handing the file to Tom who took a seat on the other side of the desk. Booth leaned back letting his mind wander back to when he and Brennan were just starting to work out the issues.

Flash Back

Booth sat next to Brennan drinking his beer as she sipped her wine. They had just finished their last case together before they shipped off to the opposite sides of the world and they were celebrating just one last time. Just them. The memories and thoughts rushed over both of them as they sat in silence for a while.

"So you're leaving for the Makapoopoo islands tomorrow?" He asked breaking the silence between them.

"Yes, and you're going to Afghanistan." She said stating the obvious as he nodded.

"You ready to spend a year with Daisy? Can't imagine that being any fun." He smirked making her give small smile.

"I believe Ms. Wick and I will manage well once we are working on the digs."

"Yeah, I'm sure." They fell silent for another moment. "Be careful when you're over there."

"Booth, I will be excavating, looking for bones to the missing link."

"I know but still... there are a lot of things over there Bones that, knowing you, will get you into trouble."

"Well I'll have to be careful, I won't have you around to save me when something happens." She gave a small sad smile making Booth smirk and nod his head.

"Yeah, that's true. Just be careful of the snakes." He grinned as she shook her head with a smile.

"I am sure I will be fine, Booth."

"Yeah. You always are." They fell silent with small smiles on their faces as they continued to drink. "So you sure about this?"

"What? Going to the Maluku Islands? Yes, I am sure. This study is very interesting, and it is what I originally got into anthropology for." She paused. "What about you? Are you sure about leaving Parker and going off to Afghanistan?"

"Yeah... Yeah, I just... you'll come back in a year right?" He looked at her concerned.

"I cannot take the murder, pain, victims and the victims' families anymore. I don't know if I will be able to continue if I wasn't able to take a step back and reorient myself to my work. Once I am able to pull myself back I believe I will be able to work better when we come back." She said sympathetically.

"Look Bones, I know this is my fault I shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry I'm making you leave."

"Booth, this is not your fault. You are not making me leave. My need to explore, learn more of the bones and my need to go back to what I originally became an anthropologist for, even if it's only for a little while. I need a break from all of that. Not from you." She reached out and placed her hand on his arm. "It's not because of what you said."

"Bones..."

"Booth you are a great man, you deserve to have someone who is able to love you the way you should be loved. Someone who is able to love you for many years to come."

"Thanks, Bones." She nodded before she finished her wine.

"I have to go home and finish packing."

"Right." Brennan stood up pulling money from her pocket to pay for her wine as Booth stood beside her. "I got it." She looked at him a moment before he nodded. "Yeah, I'll... I'll see you at the airport tomorrow."

"Good night, Booth." She said softly as they walked out of the bar and a cab pulled up.

"Night, Bones." He shut the door once she was in the back before he tracked down another cab and went home for the last time for the next year.

Flash Back

Brennan sat with Booth, both matching the other with each drink. Brennan gave a small smile knowing they were both drunk and if they continued it would only become worse, she looked at Booth as he took another shot and looked at her. She gave a smile and saw him give a smirk as she reached out stopping him from asking the bar tender for another shot.

"Booth, we are both very intoxicated. We really should go home. We have work tomorrow."

"You go home. I'll be fine." He slurred slightly as she shook her head.

"Booth, you shouldn't continue drinking. Not only will it inhibit you from being able to go home but it can cause many health issues, especially when you wake up." He looked at her for a minute before sighing as he ordered another shot. "Booth."

"I can't go home, Bones. I just can't..." He downed the shot as Brennan looked at him for a moment.

"I have a guest room; you will stay at my apartment for the night." He looked at her. "Booth, you are too intoxicated. I also understand the need to be away from an area that would bring back painful memories and cause emotions to rise. You can stay at my apartment tonight." He took one last drink from his beer and then Brennan was helping him out of the bar, both holding the other to stop from walking sideways as they found a cab and went to Brennan's home where she helped him to the guest room and then fell asleep in her own Room.

Flash Back

"Bones, I just think it would be better to have place of our own. Not a place that's yours or mine, one that's ours. Somewhere that Parker can run in the back yard and where the baby can grow up playing sports, playing with Parker, or whatever the baby wants to do."

"I know, Booth. We have had this discussion before and we agreed to move in together and we were unable to decide upon a place."

"Exactly, so what do you say? We can take a look around again and we can get a nice little place for the three of us." He asked making her look away from her computer as she lay propped up in his bed as he stood on his side of the bed looking at her. She thought for a minute before cocking her head slightly with a small smile.

"I suppose we could." Booth grinned at her. "But I would like to have the Iroquois chose the place."

"Do I have any say?"

"If you would like, I suppose I could agree to that. After all, we need to compromise on the larger issues in our relationship. Right?" Booth climbed onto the bed with a bright smile before he leaned down kissing her.

"I love you." He smiled kissing her again making her smile.

"Why are you so happy about this?"

"Because, Bones, you just agreed to really look for a house with me. You agreed to get a place for us and our baby." He grinned as she smiled and shook her head. "We can have whatever life we want."

"New memories. New life."

"Belly rub. Oh got to rub the belly. Rub the belly, rub the belly, rub the belly." Booth smiled making Brennan start to laugh as he reached over rubbing her seven month pregnant belly. "Kiss the belly." He placed a gentle kiss on her belly. "Hello baby in the belly." He grinned up at Brennan's smiling face.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

PRESENT

Booth was pulled from his thought as he heard Tom's voice.

"So we'll see if Brennan found anything more and then we'll visit the family. That sounds like the best thing to do."

"Yeah." His phone rang. "Booth."

"Booth, Hodgins was able to pull particles of dihydrogen monoxide-"

"Bones." He said cutting her off. "English." He said putting the phone on speaker.

"Before we cleaned the bones, Hodgins swabbed the edges and was able to pull-"

"It's water and pine sap. Whatever the weapon is embedded sap from a pine tree into the wound."

"We'll be back at the lab in a bit, let me know if you get the weapon." He hung up and looked at Tom. "You have anyone who could poke around the park?"

"I could call one of the detectives I work with but what are they looking for?"

"Anything that has blood near it."

"You want them to search the entire park for some sign of blood?"

"Yeah."

"Seeley, that's asking the impossible. The case was handed over we have nothing to do with it other than me making sure you are getting answers. There's no way I can get them to search an entire park, let alone ask one person to do it." Booth paused thinking.

"Fine, let's go."

"Go? Go where?" Booth walked out making Tom follow. "Seeley, where are we going?"

"The lab. My team can do it. Just thought we could avoid taking them away from home. Come on."

Booth walked into the lab with Tom following. He walked towards the bone room to find Brennan still looking over the remains as she rested her gloved hands on the table in front of her and placed weight on them as she bent forward slightly.

"Could you find anything?" Tom asked quickly as he walked into the room to stand across the table from Brennan.

"What's wrong, Bones?" Booth asked before Brennan could respond to Tom. Booth walked closer to her as she tried to stand up straight to act like there was nothing wrong. "Bones."

"I'm fine, Booth." She said before she went back to leaning on the table as nonchalantly as possible.

"Bones." He said again before he reached out putting a hand on her lower back and the other on her upper arm as she shook her head. "You don't lean on tables and you haven't started spouting your squint talk or ignoring us. What's wrong?" She took a small breath as they locked eyes.

"It's nothing Booth." He looked at her as he moved his hand down to rest on her swollen belly. "Just a little kicking."

"Come on, let's go sit down."

"I have work to do."

"Like you're getting anything done with the baby kicking as had as she can." Brennan sighed before pulling her gloves off and letting Booth lead her to her office with Tom following behind them slightly confused. Brennan and Booth sat down onto the couch as he put his hand back on her belly and gave a small smile feeling his little girl kicking and moving.

"I'm fine Booth." Brennan said making Booth smirk and nod.

"I know, Bones. You know I worry."

"For no apparent reason." She told him as a smile crept across his face.

"Just relax for a little bit before you go back to the bone room."

"I know, Booth. What did you find out about the victim?"

"Only a little more from the missing persons report, But it's not much. We have to go talk to the family. And we're going to need to look at the park. Apparently we have no help there."

"You want Hodgins to take a look around the area that the body was found?" Booth nodded. "Booth the body was found a week ago and from the rate of decomposition it appears the remains have been out there for several days before that. The likely hood that there would still be blood evidence is very slim."

"Could you guys find something?"

"Between Hodgins, myself and several interns, we should be able to find something for you. I need to get back to the bone room." She pushed herself from the couch. "Tell Hodgins to gather several interns and talk to Cam. For some reason she feels that everything needs to go through her and it's becoming worse as time passes."

"I'll talk to her. Don't worry about Cam, you find out what the weapon was and what happened." She nodded and left as Tom followed Booth into Cam's office. "Cam."

"Yeah?" She asked not looking away from her computer screen.

"I need Hodgins, Bones and a few of the interns." She turned to look at him as he stopped beside her desk. "Apparently they can't spare anyone to look around up there and you know how Bones is with the FBI techs."

"So you want to take a bunch of people from the lab and stop work here to do your little trip?" She looked at him as he shrugged. "We do have work other than murders to do here."

"I know that Camille, I'm only asking for them for two days at most."

"Fine." Booth smiled and turned. "And Seeley." Booth turned back to look at him. "Don't call me Camille."

"Don't call me Seeley." He said as he left, Tom still following silently.

"You don't like when people call you by your name?" Tom asked as they started towards the bone room.

"Not really, only a few people do and they are people who have known me for years like Cam or are family like Jared or Pops." Booth walked in as Brennan sighed looking down at the remains. "Bones, we got two days at most. Tom call you're guys and get things arranged for the scene." Tom nodded and walked into the hallway when Booth walked closer to Brennan.

"Hodgins is getting things worked out with Angela and Michael and then he will be ready." She paused and leaned forward to look at the bones closer. "There's no kerf marks on the wound tract and there's nothing suggesting any known weapon."

"It's unique."

"Yes." She straightened and looked at him. "I don't know if I'll be able to find out what was used." She said frustrated as she pulled her gloves off. Booth shook his head.

"You'll figure it out, Bones. You always do." He smirked seeing a smile cross her face.

"I know, Booth. I've never been this confused before." Tom walked in and saw Booth nod as he looked down at the remains with her. "There's nothing to indicate any weapon but we know she died from multiple stab wounds."

"Could Angela make a reconstruction of it?" Brennan looked at him as he smirked. "I'm smarter than I look." She smiled as she turned and hurried down the hall and Booth turned to look at Tom. "What they say?"

"They still have it marked off until this is solved and they will be waiting for us tomorrow." Booth nodded as he pulled his phone and started dialing. "Who are you calling?"

"I'm calling in a favor. There's a shrink we work with, Sweets. I'm going to see if he can help out." Booth put the phone to his ear. "Yeah, Sweets I need you to do something for me... Yeah, it's pretty important..."

Brennan stood with the others on the platform talking about the case. They would usually have much more than they had come up with and it's was beginning to frustrate them. Hodgins was going through his list of what he found, pulling the charts up on the screen as Cam, Angela, Brennan and Tom stood listening.

"There was nothing on the clothing, nothing in the wound track except the sap."

"There were no marks or anything to compare to the database." Angela added.

"We have to be missing something. There has to be something we have over looked on the remains that would lead us to our conclusion of the murder weapon." Brennan said almost glaring at the pictures of the remains at the scene. She glanced away as the lab doors opened and had to do a second look as the other's mouths dropped open. They all went running towards the three who just walked in leaving Tom to follow confused. "Zack." Brennan said with a smile before hugging him, moving off and letting the other hug him.

"Thought you might need an extra squint." Booth smirked as she gave him a bright smile.

"Agent Booth told me about the case on the way here. He also told me about the problems that have arisen." Zack said.

"Yeah, no one can figure this out. There's no evidence tying to anything or anyone." Angela told him as he nodded.

"May I look at the results you have gathered?"

"Yes, of course." Cam said as she led the team back to the platform leaving Tom, Booth and Sweets in their place.

"Who's that?" Tom asked.

"That is Zack. He was Dr. Brennan's assistant before he got pulled into a case and was sent to a mental hospital."

"She seems really happy."

"Yeah, well Zack and Bones were pretty close. She still goes and visits him when she can. He's the only one who makes sense to her and can make sense of her." Booth said.

"Besides you?"

"To a point." Booth said before walking up and swiping his badge to join the others.

"What's wrong?" Tom asked Sweets.

"Zack is only allowed out to help with this case and then he has to go back. It will hurt Dr. Brennan when he has to go back and Agent Booth knows that."

"She has to know he has to go back."

"She does, on some level of understanding, but their relationship was somewhat of an older sister and younger brother relationship. She took care of him and taught him everything, and she's still hurting from losing him the first time. He broke out and helped with a case not long after that and when he had to go back she was hurt and it will be the same when he has to go back this time."

"Then why do this?"

"Because they need help and the only person who is as good as Dr. Brennan and is smart enough to really keep up with all of them is Zack." Sweets and Tom looked up as Brennan still had her arm wrapped around Zack's as they all spoke.

"She acts like he's some lover or something." Sweets laughed making Tom look at him. "Seeley doesn't seem affected by the way she acts with him."

"You were friends with him when he was younger, and I imagine he acted out when the girl he was... extremely close with, acted like that with another guy."

"It depends; sometimes he was mad sometimes he was in detention for a month for sending the kid to the hospital, the hospital part was usually reserved for the guy flirting with his girlfriend." Sweets looked at him a second before glancing at Booth with a small smile

"Well I can guarantee you Zack and Dr. Brennan had no sexual relationship. Booth is not threatened by Zack, he knows her close relationship with Zack and he understands the need for her to be close to him when he is brought back."

"He sounds so grown up." Tom smirked before they saw Booth and Brennan walking towards the bone room with Zack, Brennan still smiling. "She really is happy."

"She has her little brother back." Sweets said before walking over, swiping his badge and joining the others as tom walked off towards the bone room. "So that's Booth's friend?" He asked the three still on the platform.

"Yeah, they were best friends back in high school." Cam said. "Booth told me that they used to talk a few years after they graduated and he left for the army but they stopped not long after he was sent overseas."

"They didn't tell him about them?" Sweets looked at the others. "He doesn't seem like he knows that they are together and the baby is Booth's he thinks they are just really close."

"You didn't say anything did you?"

"No, I told Booth when they first told everyone that I wouldn't say a word to anyone who didn't already know. I just played it by what he has in his head as they are extremely close."

Tom walked into the bone room and saw Booth standing at the foot of the table as Zack and Brennan looked over the remains. Brennan smiled seeing Zack pull on a pair of gloves with some difficulty, he was regaining most of his movements but some would never return. He stopped beside Booth and watched as the two went through on a scientific story of the remains.

"It appears you are correct this is very difficult and frustrating." Zack said once they were done.

"The x-rays show many fractures over the entire skeleton." Brennan said turning around the pull the x-rays up onto the screen as they both took their gloves off. "They were all made around time of death but again I am unable to discern what could have caused such damage."

"I will look over your finding and see what I am able to discern." Brennan nodded before putting the remote back onto the side table.

"Bones, we should start getting everything together to leave in the morning." Booth said making her look at him.

"Yes, of course." She looked back at Zack. "I will expect to have your report as soon as you are able. I will call with what we discover tomorrow."

"Yes, Dr. Brennan." Zack gave a small smile before they hugged again.

"It is good to have you back in the lab again Zack." He nodded before she turned to leave with Booth beside her and Tom slightly behind them as they left the bone room and walked into her office.

"Bones." Booth said once they were in the office. "You know this is only temporary. As soon as this case is over he has to go back, it's a miracle Sweets and I were able to talk a judge into letting him come with us to help out." Brennan paused picking up files and looked at him sadly.

"Yes, I know. It would be wonderful if he were able to stay and work the cases like he used to but because of the charges... I understand this is merely a temporary situation that will be terminated when the case has been solved." Booth saw her look back down at the files before taking a deep breath and looking back at him. "I believe I know who we should bring with us to the scene."

"Who did you pick?" He walked closer and Tom walked around to stand on the other side of the desk and look at the files, still staying silent and just observing how the two worked.

"Wendell, Clark, Fisher, Daisy and Aristoo. They are my top interns."

"Okay, I'll tell Cam, you go see if you can help Zack a bit before we go." Brennan nodded and left as Booth picked up the files and looked at Tom. "You're awfully quiet."

"Yeah, well I'm just watching the work of the FBI." Tom told him as he followed booth from the office

"Uh huh."

"Sweets told me that Brennan and that Zack guy are pretty close." Booth looked at him. "They seem really close." Booth smirked.

"It's not what you're thinking. Trust me; I've worked with her for almost seven years and in that time I've known all her boyfriends. Zack was not one of them."

"You knew all her boyfriends?" Tom asked shocked.

"We were partners." Booth shrugged as he found Cam in Hodgins' Ookie room. "Hey Cam. Bones picked the interns she wants." He handed her the files to go through quickly before nodding.

"How is she? I mean I know she doesn't like having Zack with her and the having to go back, and with her pregnancy..." Cam asked.

"She's fine, don't worry. You know Bones, she can handle things. Let's just get this stuff worked out." Everyone nodded and started talking about the case.

Booth stood talking to Tom while Brennan wandered with Hodgins and her interns looking for any signs of blood.

"There's no way you're going to find anything." Tom said when Booth's phone rang.

"Booth... She left it in the car while they're crawling around... Yeah I'll let her know." He hung up putting his phone away and walked over to Brennan as she straightened taking a break. "Bones, Zack and Angela need you and Hodgins." She nodded

"Hodgins." She said making him look at her as she turned walking with Booth towards the SUV where Tom was still standing. Booth opened the back of the SUV as Brennan started up the computers.

"Hey." Angela said as the picture came up.

"What's up, Angie?" Hodgins asked as he rubbed his hands together to warm them after wandering in the early December air for the last five hours.

"Zack figured some stuff out." She moved to the side a bit letting Zack on the screen with Sweets standing in the background.

"Dr. Brennan I've been reviewing your findings along with the remains and the x-rays and I was able to make a connection with the amount and placement of the fractures through the entire skeleton." He pulled up an x-ray of the pelvis. "I was able to first see it here in the pelvis." Brennan bent forward looking at the x-ray.

"Oh." She said softly still looking at it closely.

"What?" Booth asked making Brennan straighten and glance at him.

"These fractures here are consistent with human verses vehicle."

"She was run over by a car?" Tom asked.

"Not just hit." Angela said as the picture went back to her and Zack. "I was able to input all of the fractures and between Zack and I, we were able to determine what fractures were caused by the car. I did a recreation." the picture changed to the recreation.

The group watched as a red figure portraying the victim was struck with a car. The victim landed on the ground hard and the vehicle drove over the victim turned around drove over her two more times before stopping.

"What about the stab wounds?" Brennan asked.

"We haven't been able to figure out if that was before or after the hit."

"It would have to be after, the track of each wound from the stabbing were fatal. There would be way for the victim to be standing to be hit."

"Okay..." Angela said pushing buttons.

"The next question is where she was run over." Tom said looking at the others.

"Based on what I was able to discover in the wound track it would be near pine trees but we've been all over these. The body may have been found here but this is not where she was killed." Hodgins said. "So we have to find another place with pines."

"Okay, after so after I input the information the victim would have had to have been run over close to the pine trees." Angela said as the reconstruction showed again.

The victim was standing and the vehicle hit her, knocking her into the air to hit the ground hard before the vehicle ran over the body several more times. Then a figure in yellow climbed from the vehicle and stabbed the victim.

"That doesn't explain how the sap became lodged in the wounds." Brennan said shaking her head. "And we still don't even know what the weapon was. Zack try to cast the wounds and try to reconstruct the weapon and let me know when you are finished."

"Yes, Dr. Brennan." Brennan looked at Booth.

"We need to find another patch of Pine trees, more than likely the trees will need to be up against the asphalt."

"Angela, can you pull up a map of this area?" Hodgins asked.

"The killer wouldn't have moved the body far, so it should be pretty close." Tom added as Booth nodded and watched the map move around.

"Okay, the closest area that fits your criteria is about 50 yards to your south." Angela told them.

"Thanks Ange." Brennan said before the computers turned off.

"I'll go talk to the family." Booth said.

"I'll go with you." Brennan said looking at Booth then to Hodgins. "Take the interns and see if you can find anything that can help." Hodgins nodded walking off to get the interns rounded up. "We should see if we can get anything from the parents that could lead us to why she was killed."

"Let's get going." Booth said as Tom nodded walking around to sit in the back seat; Brennan climbed into the front seat while Booth closed up the back and then climbed into the driver's seat. As he started to drive he reached leaned on the center consul bumping one of Brennan's hands before looking at her quickly. "Bones, you're freezing."

"I'm fine Booth. The cold air merely slowed circulation in my hands while I was working." Booth gave a small shake of his head as he turned the heater on high and put her hand in front of the vent making her give a small smile, looking out the window as they drove the rest of the way in silence.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Mr. and Mrs. Alverez, I realize this is very difficult for you but I have some questions I need to ask." The woman with graying brown hair pulled back into a bun wiped her light blue eyes with a tissue as she sat next to her husband who looked at the three with his gray eyes, running a hand through his gray hair.

"We... We understand." Mr. Alverez said as Booth shifted farther forward in his seat

"The report says she went to meet a friend at the park to trade items they had."

"Yeah, they went and got an apartment together. They were doing well and then Elisa lost her job and the two had a few troubles. Elisa moved back home but Angela had some things she found when she moved out of the apartment that belonged to Elisa and Elisa had a few things of Angela's. That's the last we heard from our daughter."

"We talked to Angela and she said they traded their things and they left." Mrs. Alverez said. Booth nodded and made a note.

"You said they had troubles? What kind of troubles?" Booth asked the parents.

"They had disagreements about the last month or rent and the situation."

"Did their arguments become heated?"

"No, no, it was all arguing. Teenager fighting." Mr. Alverez told him as Booth nodded.

"Would you mind if we took a look in Elisa's room? It could help up discover something that the local police missed the first time through."

"I'm sure you understand us wanting everything figured out." Mr. Alverez said to Brennan, tilting his head to indicate her pregnant belly. "I mean I'm sure you will understand better once the baby is born but we raised our daughter with all our love and suddenly she's gone."

"I understand very well, Mr. Alverez." Brennan said scooting forward on her seat and Booth glanced at her before down at his notes, and Tom stood behind her watching her. "I had taken my son to a book store, I turned to grab something from the self and when I turned back he was gone. Although I cannot imagine the pain you are in now, since he had only gone to the rest room I do understand the fear and pain of having a child missing."

"You have a son?"

"Yes, a ten year old step-son." She gave a small smile as Mrs. Alverez stood up.

"I'll show you where her room is." She waited for Brennan to push herself from the seat and follow the victim's mother.

"You have any children?" Mr. Alverez asked Booth.

"Yes, I have a 10 year old son and a daughter on the way." Booth nodded as Tom looked at him.

"We have an older son, and we were so happy to have a daughter, but they are not what you would expect. When you see you're little girl for the first time I'm sure you'll agree that she's in a whole other spot in your heart. And raising them in a whole new trip than raising a boy." Mr. Alverez smiled.

"I already know what you mean." Booth smirked. "And if she's anything like her mother I'm in trouble." Booth chuckled and stood up as the man nodded. "Detective Moon and I should help Dr. Brennan." Mr. Alverez nodded and led the two down the hall to where the two women were.

"Do you know what you're having?" Mrs. Alverez asked as the three men walked in.

"Yes. The baby is a girl." Brennan smiled not noticing as Tom glanced between Booth and Brennan.

"They are really nice to have. They are nothing like boys." She smiled as Brennan nodded.

"I would imagine not. Between her step brother and her father I believe the experience of raising her will be much different than helping with my step son." Brennan gave a small smile and glanced at Booth as he phone rang making her turn away to answer. "Brennan..."

"We tried to raise our daughter as best as we could but she was rebellious as any teenager." Mr. Alverez said softly looking around the room. "No one has been in here since the cops first went through it. I hope you will be able find something to find out what happened to our baby girl."

"I will find out what happened. Dr. Brennan and her team are very good at what they do and with the FBI we will find out." Booth said as the parents nodded before turning and leaving the room.

"Booth, Angela said she was able to recreate the weapon from the casts, but she has no idea what it is." Brennan said turning around to look at the two men when her phone beeped. "Here" She handed him her phone for both men to look at the picture Angela had just sent through to her phone. "She said she had shown it to Hodgins also and he couldn't figure out what it could be either."

"Let's head out and see how the squints did in the field and then we'll go from there." Booth said handing her phone back to her as it rang.

"Brennan... We're on our way Hodgins." She hung up and looked at Booth. "They found the spot with a lot of blood soaked into the asphalt and soil."

"He found blood in the dirt?" Tom asked making both partners look at him with a small smile.

"Don't say dirt around Hodgins." Booth said as they started to leave. "We don't need to hear another lecture on what creates dirt and all the different types." He rolled his eyes as they entered the family room. "Thank you for your time. I'll be in contact with you as were investigating what happened to your daughter." He handed them his card. "If there's anything you think of, please call." The two nodded as Tom, Brennan and Booth left back to the car.

They drove in silence. Booth glancing at Brennan who sat with her hand on her swollen belly as she looked out the window while Tom sat in the back seat looking at the partners thinking until they reached the park once again. The three climbed from the SUV and walked over to where the inters and Hodgins stood talking as the sky became darker and darker with the sun sinking.

"You found the spot?" Booth asked as Hodgins nodded.

"Yeah, it's over here. There's a huge area covered and look at this." He handed Brennan orange glances to look through as he turned the black light on. She looked at the florescent light coming from the asphalt before she took the light and followed the drag marks to the side before taking the glasses off and handing them to Booth to look.

"That's a lot of blood." He said as he looked at a second spot where there was a large area of florescent light. "So this is where she was killed?" He glanced at Tom who was following him. "So Tom, this is asking the impossible? Looks like the squints did pretty damn well." He gave a smirk as Tom just followed silently.

"It looks that way." Hodgins agreed before Booth grabbed Brennan's hand moving the light over before walking closer.

"What?" Brennan asked before Booth gave the glasses back to her. "Could be from the murderer. There is skin and blood on the tree here." Hodgins moved closer.

"Hey. Guys?" Tom said making them look at him. He glanced at them then pointed to the side. "That be the weapon?" They all looked over at a tree five feet away with icicles hanging from them.

"Ice?" Booth asked looking at Brennan and Hodgins as they looked at each other. "You're seriously thinking it's possible?"

"It's not unheard of Booth." Brennan said as she took the glasses off and turned the light off before walking over the tree.

"There are about 6 people killed by falling icicles every year. It's uncommon but not unheard of." Hodgins said as he reached out to touch the low hanging pine tree branches.

"I doubt she accidentally was stabbed several times by icicles after she was run over three or four time and then dragged over here." Booth said giving Brennan a look they all knew well.

"Booth you shouldn't be so skeptical of everything. There are many things that seem preposterous but they still occur every day." Brennan argued as Booth snorted.

"Yeah I mean it was like a miracle when Brennan said she was pregnant." Hodgins smirked before he shrank away from the glare he got from Brennan. "I'm just saying. There are things that you wouldn't imagine actually happening. It's not hard to imagine something like an icicle falling and killing someone." He tried to explain.

"Angela was pregnant you should know better than to say stupid stuff." Booth whispered as Brennan turned away and Hodgins nodded.

"I just..." Brennan turned to glare at both men.

"You had to get her mad." Booth gave a small groan.

"I'm sure you'll make her happy again." Hodgins smiled as Booth glared at him. "I know I know, I open my mouth again and you'll shoot me." Hodgins took a breath before walking to help Brennan with looking over the tree branches.

The next afternoon Booth and Tom stood talking to Angela Currier in the living room of her parents' house while Brennan and Hodgins worked the area where the victim was killed.

"So you handed off her stuff, took your stuff and left?" Booth asked.

"Yeah. I don't want her crap and she has no right to have my stuff." Angela said crossing her arms. "Look the cops already talked to me when she disappeared. That's what happened and I don't know anything else."

"Yeah well she was run over about 3 times and then stabbed several times, so that's not all that happened." Booth said making Angela's face twist into something close to remorse. "Was there anyone else in the park when you left?"

"No, it was just us."

"Did she leave before or after you did?"

"After me. I got my stuff, jump back in my car and took off. No way was I hanging around after what she put me through."

"Was anyone else with you?"

"Yeah my friend Melanie."

"We're going to need to talk to Melanie." Booth held out a note card and his pen. "I need her address." Angela sighed angrily before taking them and scribbling down the information he needed before handing them back.

"Look she already screwed up my credit, and everything I had going, I don't need her ruining my entire life."

"Well if you think of anything let me know." Booth handed her a card and left with Tom.

"She's really pissed." Tom said as they climbed into the SUV.

"Yeah, well when a friend does everything that the victim did it'll push you pretty far." Booth said. "I'll call my office and see what they can pull up on her.

"She seemed overly pissed, even after we told her Elisa was killed. It's like she didn't care at all."

"Year well she is only a few years older than a teen. Kids never do the reasonable and smart thing." Booth smirked as Tom looked at him. "What?"

"I just... You said you have a son and that you have a daughter on the way."

"Yeah."

"Brennan said she has a step son and the baby is a girl..." Booth looked over at him and smiled. "Are you two...?"

"Yeah. Bones and me are together." Booth nodded as he started to drive back to the park.

"So the baby..."

"Is my unborn daughter. Yeah. She's still got another month to go."

"And the step-son?"

"Is my son, Parker. They are not what you would expect when you think my son and Bones." Booth chuckled.

"I just can't believe you and your partner... I mean you don't seem like you're together, it's just like you're close partners. I never saw that coming." Booth smiled and nodded.

"Yeah it's not something we parade around when we're working. When we're on the clock we try to keep it on partner level."

"Try? You sound like that doesn't work."

"Yeah well at times it doesn't but we make things work." Tom nodded falling silent as they continued on to the park.

"Hodgins take everything we've collected back to the lab and try to discern what is what. See if you are able to get DNA from the skin and blood we found on the tree." Brennan said as Booth and Tom walked over to them. "Booth, we found where the icicles had been broken off."

"So the killer used a bunch of them?" Booth asked clarifying.

"When the killer was unable to hold the icicle or it would break they would take another. There's no way to be sure the amount of icicles used since there could be several that broke from the tree and left no mark but we are certain there were at least three separate icicles used."

"Wow." Tom said as Brennan nodded.

"Were you able to find anything else out?" She asked as Booth shook his head.

"Nothing more than what the reports said, but the girl seems pretty mad about everything."

"She wasn't even upset when she found out she was dead." Tom added.

"Well imagine she would be too angry with the victim to care what has happened to her." Brennan shrugged.

"Yeah but they were best friends. You would think there would be some kind of twinge or something."

"Never can tell with teenagers." Hodgins said as Booth nodded.

"What about the other girl?" Brennan asked.

"I have the address, figured we'd check in with you and see if you found out anything before we went." Booth said as Brennan looked at him and they locked eyes blocking everything out as Tom watched confused as the two smiled at each other.

"You want me to go to see if I can confuse her and you straighten things out." She said as Booth shrugged making her shake her head and pull her latex gloves off. "Take the interns and the evidence back to the lab." Hodgins nodded and turned leaving to gather the interns who were gathered around the truck's heater trying to warm up.

"Ready?" Brennan nodded while they started walking over to where the SUV was parked. Tom looked at the two in front of him as Booth reached over taking Brennan's hands between his to warm them as they spoke softly with smiles on their faces. Once at the car they climbed in and Booth made sure to get the heat running on Brennan to warm her freezing cold skin before he started off to the friend, Melanie's house.

"So you were with Angela when she and Elisa exchanged items that belonged to the other?" Brennan asked standing in front of the 22-year-old young woman with short red hair and pale blue eyes. Both men stood not far behind her watching at the young woman crossed her arms and leaned against the wall setting her gaze on Brennan who was doing all of the talking.

"Yeah. I sat in the car. They handed off their stuff and me and Ange left."

"Was there any altercation between the two as they exchanged their items?"

"What?"

"Did they fight, or argue or anything?" Booth said making Melanie look at him.

"No they gave the stuff back and that was it." She looked between the partners as Tom still stood back observing. "I told the cops everything that happened when Elisa went missing. Talking to me now isn't going to give you anything more than what the cops have."

"Actually it can. You see the evidence we discovered at the scene has led us to another line of questions that the local police were not able to ask since they did not have the information." Brennan saw the woman look at her quickly. "Is there anything that you haven't told the police that you would like to say, so we may catch Elisa's murderer?"

"No." Melanie scoffed as Brennan glanced at Booth who only nodded.

"Okay, well if there is anything you can think of, make sure to call me." Booth said handing her his card before they filed out of the house and back into the SUV. "There's something about her..." Booth trailed off as he started the car and they were off.

"I'll call Angela and see if there is a way to find out anything that can help us track the killer." Brennan said as she started dialing. "And your gut is not going to solve a case and send a killer to jail, Booth."

"It has before." He said with a smirk as she rolled her eyes shaking her head before looking out the window as Angela answered.

"Angela, I need to know if there is a possibility of finding out what type of vehicle ran over the victim... yes... Okay, thank you, Angela." Brennan hung up and looked at Booth. "She and Zack are trying to work out the details on it now and they will call us when they have something."

"So where to now? The team is done at the park, we talked to the family and the two girls who last saw Elisa."

"We find somewhere to stay for the night and wait for our team." Booth said looking in his rear view mirror at him. "Where do you want to go?"

"Just drop my at my place. I would invite you to stay but my apartment only has the one bedroom."

"It's fine, me and Bones will find a hotel for the night and we'll let you know as soon as we hear something." Tom nodded and started giving directions to his apartment.

Hodgins answered his phone as he drove the SUV with sleeping interns; the only one still away was Wendell in the front seat as he helped navigate their way home.

"Hodgins."

"Hey babe." Angela said making Hodgins smile.

"Hey, you going to bed?"

"Yeah, I just put Michael down for the night. He missed you today."

"I'm almost home. It should only take another hour before we're back and then I'll be home."

"I know. I just figured I would call and see how you're day in the cold was? Brennan have you working hard today?" She said with a smile in her voice as Hodgins chuckled.

"Doesn't she always have everyone working hard?"

"Well she wants to have someone speak for the victims. She feels that everyone should be working as hard as they can to get the families all the answers they need."

"Sometimes it's just crazy, Angie."

"I know, Babe. It's just the hormones right now, you know how I was with my painting and everything around the house. Solving murders is like her artwork with the pregnancy."

"I never thought this is how things would be." Hodgins laughed as Angela smiled.

"Yeah but I wouldn't have it any other way. I mean we have an adorable son and Booth and Brennan are finally really happy and truly in love, expecting a baby... I'm glad they finally gave in."

"So you can stop trying to play match maker?" He teased as she laughed softly. "Listen Babe I got to go but I'll be home in about an hour."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too." He smiled and hung up before he went back to concentrating on driving home at 11 at night.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Booth and Brennan walked into the police station the next morning to meet Tom as they gained curious looks from the police in the squad room.

"Hey, you find anything?" Tom asked meeting them as in the middle.

"Not yet but I had my guys send the files on the two girls to me, thought you might like to see while we're waiting for the Jeffersonian to come up with something."

"Yeah sure. My desk is over here." He led them to the side as Brennan's phone rang.

"Brennan." She answered it. "Yes... Okay... Alright, I'll tell Booth." She hung up and looked at the two men. "Angela said she and Zack were able to discern the vehicle from the fracture patterns. They said it is a 2007 Kia Sportage." Booth thought for a minute.

"Didn't that Angela have a Sportage in the driveway?" Tom asked.

"We are still waiting on DNA from the skin and blood that was found on the tree, but I would say that Angela would be someone to look into." Brennan said looking between the men who nodded and turned with her following them. Brennan and Booth climbed into the SUV while Tom took his squad car, following them to Angela's house.

Brennan walked over to the Sportage and started looking at the bumper as Angela walked out of the house. Brennan stood up and nodded to Booth.

"This is possibly the murder weapon." Booth pulled his cuffs, as Angela looked frightened at the three.

"Angela Currier, you are under arrest for the murder of Elisa Alverez." Booth said walking behind the young woman and cuffing her before handing her off to Tom who finished reading her, her rights and leading her to his car. "If she ran the girl down that night we need to go back to Melanie. They both said she was in the car with Angela the entire time."

"Yes, she could have helped move the body when they were finished stabbing the victim." Brennan nodded as they made their way back to the SUV meeting Tom.

"Take her in; we're going to go bring Melanie in." Booth said as Tom nodded and the two vehicles went off in separate directions.

Booth pulled up to the house and saw no cars in the driveway.

"Bones stay here."

"Booth-" Brennan started to protest.

"I know you hate when I tell you what to do, especially when I tell you to stay put. We don't know what involvement this girl had in the murder and I'm not going to put you and the baby in danger by having you come up to that house with me right now. I'll wave you up if it's okay." She looked at him a minute before nodding.

"Okay."

"Thank you." He said softly before giving her a quick kiss and climbing from the SUV, walking up to the front door and knocking. After another minute, there was no answer and Booth knocked again before looking around. There was no sign of anyone. He walked back to the SUV and climbed back in.

"Do you think she ran?"

"It's possible." Booth agreed as he picked up his radio and started to call it in. "Twenty two seven oh five, dispatch."

"Dispatch, twenty two seven oh five. Go ahead."

"I need a BOLO out on a Melanie Rogers."

"Copy that." Booth put the mic away as he turned the SUV on and started driving.

"We'll head to the police station and see what we can get from Angela while we wait for any word on where Melanie is." Brennan nodded as she sat quietly for the ride to the station.

Once at the station they climbed from the SUV and started in to the station when Booth stopped Brennan by grabbing her arm. She turned to look at him confused.

"Bones, I know you can take care of yourself and all. I know that if you had gone up to the house and something happened you would be able to get away and protect yourself and the baby. I just don't want you to be in any situation like that. I hate it enough when we're caught in something like that with just me and you but adding in the baby..."

"I understand Booth." She said making him lock eyes with her. "I know you do not like having me in the field because of the danger and the risk to myself, I also understand you're need to keep me and our child safe."

"Bones-"

"It's fine Booth. I know you want to keep both me and the baby safe. I agree with you, I should stay out of the dangerous situations like there could have been at the house. I may not like the fact that i need to stay away but I understand and agree with you on some level." Booth gave a small smile before ducking down to give her a loving kiss.

"You are the best woman there is." He said after they pulled apart and looked back into each other's eyes. "I love you."

"I know I love you too, Booth." They kissed once more.

"Let's get this case solved and then get back home to relax before the princess is born." He grinned as he laid a hand on her belly making her smile at him as she shook her head.

"We still need to finish the nursery."

"Yeah, so we better get this solved soon." He chuckled before they turned and started walking again with his hand on her lower back where it had been for the last six and half years when they walked beside each other. They walked into the squad room where Tom was sitting at his desk.

"Where's Melanie?" He asked them.

"She wasn't at the house; no one was there at all. I have a BOLO out for her, so while we're waiting we figured we'd check out Angela." Booth told him.

"I have her sitting in the interrogation room. No one's been in there yet, figured I'd let her sit a bit before we get her." Tom stood and led them to the glass window to look in at the young woman as she paced only seeing a mirror. "You two going to take her?" Booth looked at Brennan as she nodded.

"I need to stay in contact with my team. You two would be better to go in while I try to find you more evidence to use against her." Booth looked at her a minute before nodding and moving to the door with Tom following him.

"Sit." Booth said making the young woman look at him scarred. "We're going to talk about some things about the murder of Elisa. Sit." He took a seat with tom beside him.

"What do you want? I told you everything I know." She said looking at them scared again.

"Well you see we have your car being looked at and taken apart as we speak. We believe your car was used to run over Elisa the night she disappeared." Tom told her as she shook her head and started to pace again.

"No, there's no way I would let her ruin my life like that. Why would I kill her?"

"Because of everything she put you through. Look I get it. She screwed you over with everything. It will be years before you have everything fixed and she's just going on like nothing happened. I get it."

"You do?"

"Yeah, I've been there. You have a great friend and they do what they want and leave you to sink or float with no warning. It's hard, it's frustrating and it pisses you off to no end."

"Yeah."

"She deserves to know what it's like." Tom added. "She should know what life is like when you're screwed over."

"Yeah." She said leaning on the table looking angry.

"So you run her down to teach her a lesson." Booth said as the young woman leaned on the table more.

"She need to see that life can't just go on after you screwed you're best friend. She needed to learn not to screw over her friends when they put everything on the line to help her but I didn't kill her!"

"So you run her down and then you and Melanie stab her." Tom said. Angela straightened up and looked at them.

"I... I want a lawyer. I'm not saying another word without my lawyer." She demanded as Booth's phone beeped making him look at it.

'The DNA is back. Not Angela's' He read before looking at the mirror knowing Brennan was standing there.

"Fine, you get your lawyer but you'll be sitting here for hours until one can be found and even then it's probably a crappy one." Booth said standing up and walking out as Tom took a second to follow him, confused. He stopped where he was talking with Brennan.

"The DNA is female and is in the system but it is locked away." She explained.

"It's sealed?" Booth asked.

"Yes, Cam compared the DNA from the tree to the DNA we took from her and they do not match."

"I'll see if Caroline can get the DNA unsealed." Booth pulled his phone and walked out of the observation area to call. Tom looked back at Angela who was back to pacing when he heard a sharp intake of breath beside him. He looked over seeing Brennan bent slightly with her hands on her belly.

"What's wrong?" He asked. "Are... Are you in labor?"

"No, I still have another month before I'm due." She said trying to breathe through the wave of immense pressure when Booth walked back in.

"Bones." He said worried as he walked to her other side. He placed on hand on her upper back and the other on her belly, next to one of her hands. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing Booth, just pressure." She said letting out a slow breath and looking at him. "Angela had this about a month before she gave birth. I'm fine." She said as her muscles began to relax.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Maybe we should go to the hospital."

"Booth-"

"Temperance." He said making her pause and look into his worried brown eyes, still not moving from his place. She shook her head.

"Everything is fine." She said softly as she moved on hand to lay over his on her belly. "I will tell you if something is not right." She gave a soft smile as he nodded.

"I know, Bones." He gave a silent sigh of relief as she held his hand to her belly with a small smile.

"So you're not in labor?" Tom asked as Brennan looked at him and shook her head.

"I would be experiencing some pain along with the pressure and it would be frequent when I felt it." She explained as Tom nodded relieved.

"Okay." He sighed in relief as Brennan's phone rang and the partner's separated as she answered.

"Okay. Thank you Zack." She hung up and looked at Booth. "Zack found green stick fractures to the clavicle by the shoulders suggesting someone knelt there as they stabbed her. The markings on the remains suggests to people." She said looking between booth and Tom.

"Melanie." Tom said as Brennan nodded.

"It's definitely a possibility." She looked at Booth. "She needs to be found."

"We'll get her." He reassured her. "Come on let's head back to the hotel for the night." He looked at his watch not realizing it was already almost 9 at night.

"I'll book her and call you if I get anything here." Tom said making Booth nod.

"As soon as I get anything on Melanie I'll let you know." Booth returned as Tom nodded and walked back into Angela while Booth and Brennan left

"Booth?" Brennan asked as she climbed into the hotel bed he was sitting in, watching TV.

"Yeah?" He answered glancing at her.

"You know I would tell you if I had gone into labor. Right?" He looked at her furrowing his brow slightly as she looked at him waiting.

"We've been over all this when you went for the ultrasound to find out the baby was a girl. You need to think about this stuff and look at it from my point of view."

"I know, but I would tell you even if we hadn't gone through that."

"I know you would Bones."

"We're partners at work and at home." She gave a small smile as he grinned shifting to put his hand on her belly as he leaned closer to her kissing her. "I love you Booth." She whispered as he cupped her jaw with his other hand and giving her a deep loving kiss.

"I love you Bones." He shifted again making her smile.

"We should go to sleep, we still need to find Melanie and close this case." She said making him smirk and nod before he shifted, climbing under the blankets before turning off the bedside light. He wrapped his arm around Brennan's shoulders pulling her closer letting her rest her head on his chest as his hand around her shoulders rested on her hip and his free hand came to rest on her swollen belly.

Booth woke up to his phone alarm going off. He shut it off before looking down at Brennan who shifted to look at him. The two smiled before cuddling closer for a few more minutes, not wanting to climb from the comfort of the bed and each other's arms. Brennan sighed making Booth pull her closer gently.

"We should get up, Booth. We need to get to work so we can go home."

"I know Bones. We should do a lot of things but when has that stopped us from doing what we want?" He asked making her laugh as she pushed up a bit to look down at him. He couldn't help but grin at her as she smiled. He gently pushed her hair back as he looked into her bright blue eyes. "Well just look at us. FBI had rules about fraternizing, and what did we do, we started a relationship. Then to push that line even farther we are having a baby together. Neither of us really listens to the rules from anyone." He smiled before he nodded and leaned down kissing him.

"I think the rules we break were mean to be broken since they are ridiculous rules to begin with."

"The heart can't help what the heart wants." He grinned making her laugh.

"That's ridiculous, Booth. The heart-"

"Can't think and all that, I know. But I'm telling you, my heart led the way to you." She smiled up at him.

"After almost seven years of working with you I can see your point." He grinned happily, as he turned chuckling.

"Did the famous Temperance Brennan, the one who didn't believe in love, fate or feelings of the heart just admit that there are such things as feelings of the heart?" She leaned up on her elbow with a playful glare at him.

"No I was merely saying I can see you're point."

"Just admit it. Hey, I've already got you to admit to love."

"That is only because I have tangible proof that there is such a thing as love."

"What about fate? What do you call us?"

"I would call us a couple." He looked at her and saw her smirk.

"You're a smart ass, you know that?"

"I am very smart, although it has nothing to do with my ass." She told him making him laugh before turning them so she was lying against the mattress and he was leaning over her. "I believe our paths crossed for a reason but I still do not concede to your notion of fate."

"You will eventually." He smiled kissing her. "And love is a feeling of the heart so you can't even fight that one." She opened her mouth to rebut his comment only to be stopped by him. "Can't fight." He said over her. "Can't fight." He said again, when she tried to speak. She narrowed her eyes at him. His plan was to saw it over her until she gave in but he wasn't letting her say anything to actually give in. Brennan put her hand over his mouth and started to speak with an accomplished smile.

"After seven years of our partnership, our friend ship, and although we have agreed only recently to a relationship I feel we have been involved since we started working together and I will admit that in concede to your notions of feelings of the heart." He smiled and kissed her. "I have learned through and from you that there is such a thing as love that has no explanation as to what a person feels. I've also learned that there are different kinds of love. There is loving family, feeling love towards a lover, and a love towards a child, even an unborn child."

"I'm a good teacher." He grinned.

"Yes, I have learned so much since I met you at the university almost 7 years ago. And I appreciate and more than happy that I've had the chance to learn and experience all that I have."

"There's so much more coming too. We still have the birth of our daughter and raising her with Parker."

"We will never run out of new experiences."

"Not me and you." He smiled kissing her. "Come on we have to get up now." He kissed her before climbing from the bed. "I'll grab my shower and get dressed while you're getting your shower and then when we're done we'll go get some breakfast, see what the squinterns came up with, and we'll get this all going so we can get home." Brennan nodded before following out of bed to get ready for the day.

"We still haven't got anything on Melanie." Tom said as he took a seat beside Booth at the local diner.

"We'll come up with something." Booth said looking at the file in front of him.

"Booth what if she's already left the country?" Brennan asked.

"My guys already looked into it. She still here, just don't know where yet. But she'll turn up somewhere."

"Booth?" They heard as a woman with long black hair and bright gray eyes walked over to the table. "Seeley Booth?" She asked making Booth look up. "Sue Wedgbury." She smiled as Booth smirked.

"It's been a while." He said as she nodded.

"What have you been up to? No one's heard from you since you left for the army. Are you still in the army?"

"No, I got out a while ago. My time ran out just after my son was born." He said not wanting to tell too much to the woman as she listened intently before glancing at Brennan curious. "This is my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan."

"The author?" Brennan nodded.

"My husband and me love your books." She smiled as Brennan nodded and said thank you. "I heard someone used one to murder people a few years ago." Brennan looked at Booth who cleared his throat.

"That's... That was almost seven years ago." She started. "And it is not something that should have someone excited about it. It was wrong of the three men to have used my book to commit murders." She said slightly angry, remembering the case from their second year of working together. It not only brought up the memories of the case but also of the man who had left her to sail around after telling her that he loved her.

"Bones." Booth said making her look at him as a few tears gathered in her eyes before she pushed her chair out, standing.

"I'll be outside." She said softly as Booth shifted in his seat pulling the keys from his pocket and call to her stopping her.

"Bones, go sit in the car. See if Angela and robo boy has anything for you. Hodgins should have something on his samples by now." She nodded taking the keys from his hand, letting her fingers linger on his hand longer than needed before she turned and left.

"What was that? I thought she liked to speak about her books."

"Yeah sometimes." Booth said. "That case is not one she likes to remember. A guy she was with was determined that he loved her and then he sailed off in a boat leaving her here because she wasn't ready to leave work for a long period of time."

"One of her past boyfriends?"

"Yeah, he was an FBI agent she worked with when i was stuck trying to get my gun back." Booth smirked as he took a drink of his coffee.

"You had to get your gun back?" Sue asked sitting down in Brennan's empty chair.

"Yeah I shot a clown head on an ice cream truck." He shrugged as Tom and Sue looked at him shocked.

"You do that often?"

"I shot a speaker after that was thrown on desk duty for that one." He smirked as his phone rang. "Yeah, Booth... what do you mean Sweets..."

"Sweets? What's wrong?" Tom asked softly as Booth sat listening.

"Yeah... Just let her talk to Angela... No don't call her... Sweets you're going to get both of us killed...She'll be fine. She just needs to talk to Angela for a bit let it go." He hung up with a sigh rubbing his face.

"What happened?"

"Bones is talking to Angela. She called and Angela answered on speaker while she was working on something with Sweets and Zack and she told Angela she needed to talk to her alone. Sweets is now wanting to call Bones and pull his shrink crap."

"Which would get you both killed?" Sue asked confused.

"Yeah, Sweets has gotten me in trouble a few times. He keeps going I'm not going to survive this pregnancy." He said taking another drink of coffee.

"You take care of her?"

"Yeah, as much as she'll let." He chuckled. "She's stubborn; she tries to do everything herself." He shook his head. "Booth." He answered as his phone rang again. "Yeah, she's on the phone with Angela... Yeah, I'll let her know... Don't start Camille...Then don't call me Seeley." He smirked. "Listen, do me a favor and keep Sweets away from talking to Bones... Yeah... Thanks." He hung up and sighed.

"What did she find?" Tom asked.

"She was letting Bones know about the DNA test."

"Did it match?"

"Yup. The squints did their thing, now it's left to us to finish the job." He drained his coffee and ordered another one.

"So you're a cop?" Sue asked.

"FBI." Booth smirked.

"FBI? Wow, you're really doing well. So how long have you been working with the famous Dr. Brennan?"

"Almost seven years now. Technically almost eight but that fist case doesn't count." He smirked.

"What do you mean?"

"The first case we... Some thing's happened and didn't work together for another year after that."

"Did you sleep together?"

"What? No..." Booth said shaking his head with a smirk. "No she punched a federal judge in the nose twice so the federal prosecutor wanted her and her team fired so I took her out drinking to fire her. The team busted the judge for the murder and I had to hire her back. After the case was solved we got into a fight and she slapped me." He smirked. "Took us over a year to be in the same room together. Now we solve murders left and right."

"So you really got her drunk to fire her and then re-hired her?"

"That woman holds her alcohol really well. Took a lot to get her drunk." He laughed. "She can still keep up with me."

"You two drink together often? I mean before she got pregnant." Sue said as Booth smirked and nodded.

"Yeah, after every case we would go to a bar by the lab with the others. We go every now and then now, but after her friend Angela had her baby we haven't been getting together much anymore."

"You two seem like you've been through a lot." Booth paused looking down at his coffee and nodded.

"Yeah. We've been through a lot together." He nodded. "But we've made it through everything." He pulled his phone from his pocket and text Brennan quickly. 'Are you finished talking with Angela?' He closed it and put it back away.

"I'm having a party tomorrow night. You should come over. Every one's been wondering what happened to you and you can tell us the fascinating things you've been through. Being in the FBI I bet you have some juicy stories."

"I work on murders. And what Bones and me have been through isn't exactly party talk." She looked at him confused. "I'm sure you heard of the gravedigger from a few years ago." Both nodded looking at him as he sighed. "She knocked Bones out and ran down a friend of ours. Buried them alive in her car. The only reason they survived is because they're geniuses. Then Hodgins stole evidence from the FBI and she took me. Locked me on an old Navy ship set to be made into a reef."

"Oh my god. Why wasn't any of the mentioned on the news or something?" Sue asked shocked.

"Because Bones talked Hodgins into dropping their case to work on nailing her for a boy we found. And I had mine dropped to help her. We weren't allowed to do anything if she was being convicted for taking us. So we gave up our cases and got her on the boy."

"It may not sound like party talk per say but it's all very interesting and intriguing." Booth's phone rang.

"Booth." He answered. "Hey buddy... No, you can't go to the lab. Bones is with me, we had to go out of town for a few days... Did you talk to Angela or Hodgins? They might have a few minutes free..." He glanced up as Brennan walked back over. "I'm sure Hodgins can give you a hand until we get back..."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Brennan unlocked the SUV and climbed into the passenger seat before pulling her phone from her pocket and dialing. She waited for the voice she found so comforting in these times of hormones.

"Hello."

"Angela... I need to speak with you about some things."

"Is everything okay?"

"I... could we just speak?"

"Sure." Brennan heard before she heard Angela talking to their others in the room. "Guys, I'll call you when I'm done with this reconstruction." There was a large pause before the sound of Angela picking up made Brennan shift in her seat. "Okay Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I seem to be highly emotional again."

"What happened?" She asked sympathetic.

"Someone who knew Booth walked over and she started asking about the book that cause the three men to murder people back in the second year we were all working together. And she seemed so excited about the book and everything I just... I... Sully popped up in my thoughts."

"Oh Bren. You know hormones do all kinds of crazy stuff. Thinking about that case probably just brought up the memories of that case. Sully was really involved in that one."

"He was determined that what we had was love and not just some fling and yet he could just sail off with no worries the second he bought that boat. I do not understand why I am feeling so emotional about that now after so many years. Especially after, I have started a family with Booth and we are both happy. Can say with all honesty and evidence over the year I have never felt like I do with Booth, with anyone else. I love Booth, but when she started talking about the book, I thought of the case and Sully came to mind."

"Bren, he was a big part of your life. You two had a connection and it hurt you that he could just sail off without a second thought about what it would do to you. And you know what, I'm glad he did. If he didn't you might not have wound up finding your way to Booth and you wouldn't be having that adorably baby Booth." Brennan couldn't help but smile.

"You don't even know what she'll look like."

"Yeah well she has you as a mom and Booth as a dad. Not hard to picture what she'll look like. She's going to be beautiful, and Booth is going to have his job cut out for him when she gets older, kicking all those boys butts." She laughed softly and Brennan couldn't help but smiling as a picture of Booth scaring off teenage boys while your daughter became angry with him and he gave her the same look he gave Brennan when he knew he was in trouble.

"Well considering how Booth and I are able to take care of ourselves, I do not foresee Booth having to take care of our daughter's problems."

"That's a good point. And with your personalities combined, the world better watch out. A cocky genius who is beautiful..." Brennan smiled.

"That is a possibility."

"Well I'll have to get working on teaching my son how to treat her so he doesn't get his butt kicked by Booth." Angela said making Brennan laugh softly.

"Booth is already calling her a princess; we don't need people treating her like one."

"Yeah well she is a princess and with everyone you know, Sweetie she's going to be a spoiled brat, just like you're working on with my son."

"What, I'm not doing anything to your son."

"Bren you buy him a million things 'cause they look cute, and I guarantee that will never stop, just like I'm going to do the same for your daughter."

"I know."

"So where's agent Studly?" Brennan smiled at Angela's name for Booth.

"He is in the diner with Tom and the woman who asked about my book. He gave me the keys to the car and told me to come out here. I supposed he realized I needed to think."

"More likely he knew you needed to call me. Booth knows you much better than you know yourself. He knows when you need to talk and when you need to be left to do your own thing."

"He is very good at reading people."

"No he can tell things about people, he knows you. He's worked closely with you for almost seven years and been in love with you nearly all of those years. He knows every last cell of you."

"Angela-"

"I know I know, but you get my meaning." Brennan's phone gave a soft beep making her pull it away from her ear and look at it.

'Are you finished talking with Angela?' She put the phone back to her ear. "You were correct. He knew I needed to speak with you. He just sent me a message asking if I was finished talking with you."

"Well how do you feel?"

"Much better, actually."

"Okay, then why don't you go back in there? I'm sure Booth has already told them not to talk about some thing's, so go back in and finish eating, cause I'm sure you didn't finish before you had to leave."

"Thank you Angela."

"Any time. I know how this can be, believe me it's crazy. Call back if you need me okay?"

"I will." Brennan hung up and started on her way back into the diner.

"Parker?" Brennan asked as Sue moved over letting Brennan have her seat across from Booth as he nodded.

"Ask Bones." He handed the phone over. "Something about a science project." She nodded.

"Hi Parker." She said putting the phone to her ear,

"They're going to turn my son into a squint." He smirked as Brennan locked eyes with him and smiled.

"Yes, you're father and I needed to go out of town... I'm not sure...Yes it's for work... I am sure we will be back in time for your weekend..."

"What's a squint?" Sue asked.

"It's a scientist. They squint at things." Tom explained. "It's a cop term."

"But wouldn't that be good? I mean he would be considered brilliant. Right?" Booth scoffed before Brennan glared at him. "Well he could have a job like the people you work with." Again, Booth scoffed.

"Booth." Brennan scolded making him look up at her.

"You know I'm not talking about you. You're are so brilliant that you're not even in the category with the others, Bones." He said showing her his charm smile as she shook her head. "Tell him to put Rebecca on." He said holding out his hand for Brennan to hand him the phone. "Bud, put mommy on the phone." He paused. "Hey Rebecca... Yeah, he told me. Me and Bones are in Philly for work, I'm not sure when we'll be back... Yeah it's a tough one... Yeah, everyone at the lab is tied up for now. I'll call Max and see when he's free. He can get something worked up for him... Yeah, I'll call you later. Yeah, tell him I'll call him when he gets done school." He hung up.

"I suppose my father is better than having Hodgins mix something up." Brennan smirked as Booth smiled as she started to dial.

"Just tell him not to teach him anything he shouldn't know." Booth said as Brennan smiled.

"Like what?" Sue asked wanting to know everything.

"Her father was a robber years ago, and he came out of hiding to protect Bones and her Brother. I arrested him for killing the deputy director of the FBI. Bones here, and her genius brain of hers got him off and he's been doing little jobs here and there. Promised not to kill or do anything illegal. He's been doing pretty good. Especially since he's been teaching Parker everything he can when Bones can't."

"See you need to come to the party." Sue said with a smile as Booth looked at Brennan as she finished talking with her dad and hung up.

"Well that's up to how Bones is feeling and if we're done the case or not." He looked at Brennan. "Cam said they found a thread wrapped in the vic's clothes."

"What material?"

"It was Cam, we don't talk squint." Brennan narrowed her eyes before looking at her own texting Hodgins to find out what she needed. Booth sat back in his seat and looked at Brennan when his phone rang again. "Booth...yeah, where..." He said pulling his pen and a paper from his jacket pocket. "Yeah, thanks." He hung up. "Got her."

"Where?"

"Not far from here." He said putting everything away. "Head to the station, we'll meet you there."

"Booth-"

"Bones we're just picking her up and heading in." He said almost begging her with his eyes to just go. "Head to the station, hopefully we can get this case wrapped up today."

"Fine, but call me if anything happens."

"You know you're the only one I would call." He smirked. "Finish eating and then head over." He kissed her cheek as Tom stood up.

"I'll drive."

"Be careful Booth." Booth smirked as he walked out with Tom leaving Sue to stare at Brennan. "What's wrong?"

"I... You and Seeley... I thought you were just partners."

"We are partners."

"But... You're not together?"

"As in a couple?" Sue nodded. "Yes we are."

"Then the baby..."

"Yes, she is Booth's daughter." Brennan took a drink of her tea. "It is strange everyone swore we were a couple when we were only partners, and now that we are together romantically everyone seems to think we are only partners." She said thinking about it.

"Well Seeley said it was based on how you felt, but I'm having a party tomorrow night, you both should come and tell us some of your stories. He said you've been through a lot together and he told us a little. It's interesting to hear the stories."

"If we are able to finish our case and are still in the area I do not see a reason not to." Brennan leaned back a bit, as she placed a hand on her belly and rubbed gently feeling the baby kick before she finished eating.

Brennan sat at Tom's desk waiting for Booth and Tom to walk in with Melanie when they came around the corner. Booth was walking in with a man cuffed. His short light brown hair was messy and he was looking around angrily with his green eyes before he glared at Booth saying something making Booth shove him forward to 'accidentally' hit the door jam. Brennan stood up and walked over as Tom put Melanie in another room and meet with Booth and Brennan in the observation area.

"Are you okay?" Brennan asked as she walked over to Booth quickly.

"Yeah, the guy hit my jaw." Booth told her as she reached out to gently touch his jaw.

"It doesn't seem broken ore dislocated. You will most likely have a bruise though."

"I've been hit harder. You know that." He said as she smirked with her hand still on his jaw.

"Yes, but all it takes is a well-placed hit to break a bone or dislocate a joint."

"I'll be fine." She pulled her hand back and looked at the man in the room. "Kevin Eardley. Melanie's boyfriend. We caught her and he came after us to stop us from arresting her."

"Were you able to get her to admit to anything?"

"No, but she's not denying anything." Tom said looking between the two.

"Running and sticking her boyfriend on a federal agent doesn't look too good either." Booth added still rubbing his jaw. "There's not much they can fight against. We have both women with hard evidence and this guy's getting assault on a federal agent." Booth pointed over at the man sitting at the table looking unaffected.

"Well let's get these confessions and then we can close the case." Tom said turning towards the room with Melanie.

"I'm going to call Cam and let her know what's going on." Booth nodded as he followed Tom into the room leaving Brennan in the observation area once again. She dialed her phone and held it to her ear.

"Saroyan." Cam answered.

"Cam it's Brennan. Booth and Tom caught Melanie."

"That's great."

"Yes, except she send her boyfriend after Booth."

"Is he okay?"

"His jaw is very sore and will most likely bruise, but he is fine. The boyfriend is being held on assaulting a federal agent and they are talking to Melanie now."

"Well it shouldn't take long. We have DNA matching her and we have the vehicle to tie the girl Angela into it. they can't deny it. So it's just a matter of them pushing hard enough to break them."

"Yes, I know. They are working on it now."

"Keep me up dated."

"Yes, of course." Brennan said before hanging up to listen in on Booth and Tom interrogating Melanie as she sat at the table trying to deny everything. she smiled seeing that nothing was working and the young woman was becoming more and more frantic.

"We have your DNA at the scene; there is no way you're getting out of this so why don't you just tell us everything you know." Booth said as Tom took the seat at the Table and Booth stood leaning against the wall. "So what did Elisa do to you? She calls you a name; look at you the wrong way?"

"No. If I tell you what I know do I get a deal?" She asked Tom who turned and looked at Booth before looking back at her.

"Well you see this was turned over to the FBI when we couldn't find any leads. So you're not being tried here, you're being tried in federal courts with federal charges and most likely be sent to federal prison. You see he's the Boss on that end." She looked at him as if she were a frightened child. Brennan watched as Booth still stood unmoving, leaning against the wall. He waited another minute before pushing off the wall and walking over to the table.

"You tell me everything I want to know and if it all checks out I'll talk to the federal prosecutor." She looked at him worried.

"So I'll have a deal?"

"I'll talk to her about it. That's all I can do right now." She locked her gray eyes with his dark brown ones before looking back at the table.

"Will that do anything?"

"It could lessen your sentence, it could ease some charges, it could do a few things or it could do practically nothing. Do you want to take the chance of staying quiet and getting no chance at a lesser charge or sentencing?" She paused before looking up.

"Okay, I'll tell you everything I know." She said as Booth dropped a pad of paper in front of her and and a pen.

"You're going to tell us everything and write it all down." She nodded as Booth walked back around to lean against the wall as the young woman looked between the men again.

"Ange and me went to pick up her stuff from Elisa. We got to the park and they got out of their cars with a box each...

Flash back

Angela and Elisa walked towards each other both holding a medium sized box in their arms.

"Here's your stuff." Angela said stiff as Elisa nodded taking the box.

"These are your things. They must have been mixed in with some of my stuff when I packed my stuff." Angela took the box with a glare before putting it in the back seat of her car before climbing into the driver's seat of her Kia Sportage. She slammed her door and never took her eyes from Elisa who was putting the box in the back seat of her old red fire bird.

"She's such a bitch. She doesn't know what life is really like." Melanie said as Angela nodded and narrowed her eyes.

"Someone needs to show her you can't just walk around using friends to get what you want and then move on. She should be taught what it's like to have all kinds of bills to pay and you have to scrape pennies together to eat."

"Definitely." Melanie said. "Someone should just hit her and show her what it's like to have insane bills." Suddenly the wheels went spinning and the car flew forward and in less than a second there was a crunch and clatter and the two young women looked up to see Elisa lying on the ground. There was no control in Angela's eyes as she pushed the gas pedal to the floor and Melanie cheered as they ran over the body of Elisa with a thump. "Again."

"Again?" Angela asked with a smile as Melanie nodded and Angela turned the car back around and lined back up with the bloody mess before flooring it once again, and with another thump they were up and over the body.

"What now?" Melanie asked as Angela looked where her headlights were pointed.

"Use the icicles. We can stab and there's no way they can find anything out. There now way to get finger prints, or anything."

"Sounds good." The two climbed from the Sportage walking over to the body before grabbing Elisa and dragging her managed, bleeding body off to the side before they grabbed icicles and started stabbing over and over and over again. When an icicle snapped they grabbed a new one and began all over again before they stood back a minute.

"We should move her up the road a bit."

"Okay." They bent and lifted the mangled mass and carried it across the drive and down a ways before putting it under a tree and going back to the Sportage. "That was... That was..."

"It was so satisfying but... I feel kind of guilty though."

"Yeah... Me too." She paused and the two looked at each other. "We don't say one word about any of this. We got your stuff and left."

"Right." The two drove to Angela's house where they changed out of their bloody clothes and showered before putting their clothes in a plastic bag and putting them in the trash. Angela turned to look at Melanie...

Present

"And she told me that it was over and we would forget the whole thing." Melanie finished looking between Tom and Booth. "That's everything that happened."

"Okay, write it." Booth said before Tom stood and walked out with him to join Brennan. "Well we know what happened and who did what." Booth looked at Brennan, "You and Zack able to find evidence that follows her story?"

"I'll take a look at the remains when we get back but from what Zack has discovered it seems to fit. You should get the car and look underneath. With what she said happened there would be marks from the bones scraping and blood stains where the body came into contact with it."

"I'll get it shipped to the FBI gauge." Booth nodded as he pulled his phone and dialed. "Yes sir... We were able figure out what happened... Yeah there were two murderers and the boyfriend of one of them slugged me when I tried to arrest her... Yes... Thank you sir." He hung up and looked at Brennan and Tom.

"So that's it?" Tom asked

"Sort of. We have to tie up the loose ends but from what we have, it's enough to arrest all of them and ship them off to DC. Bones and Zack can fit injuries to the car and Hodgins should be able to help the FBI techs find out what they need on the car. Then it's putting notes together and it's onto the next case."

"You're going to need to come to DC and combine you're notes with us for Caroline." Brennan said as Brennan nodded. "After that there is nothing left to do until it's time for trial."

"It seems so easy." He said looking between the partners.

"Solving the case is the hard thing the notes are just boring." Booth shrugged. "So let's get everything moving back to DC." He said with a smile.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Booth and Brennan walked up to the house with Tom before they walked around the side of the two story house, into the back yard to see a large group of people talking, laughing, dancing, drinking and having fun. Booth kept his hand on Brennan's lower back at Sue called to him making several look over at him shocked to see him. The three walked over to Sue and several other old friends. Booth shook hands, as did Tom as Brennan stood silently as everyone started talking about how long it had been since they had seen Booth.

"This your girl?" Asked a tall man with black hair and gray eyes as eh looked at Brennan. Booth looked over at her and nodded.

"This is Temperance." He introduced.

"Temperance, unique name. Any relation to that author?" Asked a woman to the side with bleach blond hair and brown eyes.

"This is her." Sue said with a bright smile.

"How'd someone as talented as you wind up with someone like Seeley?" Laughed the man with black hair.

"Seeley's with the FBI, John." Sue said as Brennan and Booth looked at each other.

"Where did you meet?" Asked the woman.

"I needed some help on something at work and I asked for her help. Basically we've been working together ever since."

"So you worked together?"

"We still do. Because of our solve rate my bosses left us together." Brennan looked up at Brennan.

"So you're a cop?"

"Nothing like bombarding the man with questions when he just gets back Michelle." John said rolling his eyes and looking back at Booth. "So you're a cop?" Everyone laughed as another man with brown hair and dark blue eyes walked over handing Booth a beer and offered one to Brennan who shook her head.

"What are you thinking Jake?" Michelle said standing up to smack his head. "She's pregnant, she can't have alcohol." She scolded him as he took a seat with a shrug. "Would you like some water or soda?" She asked.

"Water would be great." Brennan said with a small smile as Booth opened his beer.

"So how far are you?" Sue asked.

"Eight months." Brennan answered.

"Here you go." Michelle said handing her the bottle of water and Brennan thanked her before Michelle shoved Booth as he took a drink. "Drinking while you're girl can't. Same old inconsiderate Seeley." Booth smirked and shook his head.

"Same only bossy Michelle." He shot back taking another drink when his phone rang. "Booth." He answered and looked at his watch before walking off slightly leaving Brennan with Tom and their old friends as they looked at him strangely.

"So you actually fell for Seeley?" John asked as Michelle smacked the back of his head making Brennan smile a bit.

"Yes. We worked together for years and then everything just came together." Brennan explained.

"Seeley said you were in some pretty tough stuff together. What happened?" Sue asked as Brennan glanced at Booth.

"Our... Our work is a difficult thing to lighten up." She said looking at them as they all shrugged.

"We've probably heard worse." John shrugged as Booth walked back over stopping behind Brennan and handing her the phone over her shoulder.

"Hi Parker." She said as the others looked at Booth.

"So Seeley what is all that about?" John asked nodding towards Brennan who had turned away slightly.

"My son Parker, he's going to bed and he calls every night to say good night to us."

"Every night? You're son doesn't live with you?" Sue asked.

"You have a kid?" Jake asked shocked

"Yeah, he's ten; he stays with his mom most of the time." Booth explained.

"So you have a kid by another woman too?"

"Yeah, his mom wouldn't marry me so we make do with the situation." Booth shrugged.

"What about this one?" Booth glanced at Brennan still talking.

"Bones isn't going anywhere." He smirked taking another drink as Brennan walked back over.

"Okay, you have a good night and I will see you tomorrow. Here's your dad." She handed him the phone again.

"Alright, bud, I'll see you tomorrow when I pick you up. Love you to Parker." Booth said hanging up before putting his phone away.

"What's with calling her Bones?"

"She works with bones. I've been calling her that since I met her." Booth shrugged.

"You guys should see it back in DC. No one calls him Seeley." Tom started. "No one calls anyone by their name."

"That's not true there's Cam and Angela." Booth said as Tom shrugged.

"What do they call you?" John asked Booth.

"He was introduced to all of us as Booth, that's all we've ever called him." Brennan explained. "We use titles in the lab that is why you rarely hear any of us call another by their first name."

"Titles?" Asked Jake. "How many of you are there?"

"Dr. Hodgins is the bug and slime guy," Booth started, "Angela is the artist, Dr. Saroyan is the coroner, and then Dr. Brennan for the bones."

"Doesn't sound like much. The other people couldn't make it through the hard stuff?"

"Dr. Addy was pulled into a case too far and helped kill someone a few years ago." Booth looked at Brennan as she looked at her water then at him as he went back to his friends. "He was Bones' assistant. Then there's a bunch of interns who work with some of the cases. We don't really need all that many, just enough geniuses to get the job done."

"So what is it that makes you so close?" Sue asked as Booth gave her a small glare.

"Seeley's still the super hero from what I hear." Tom interjected. "Remember when that girl was getting mugged and Seeley ran in and kicked the guy's ass?"

"So you're still doing that now?" Tom looked at Booth before standing up

"Brennan, why don't I introduce you around while Seeley tells them their bed time stories?" Brennan looked at Tom and nodded before the two wandered off. Booth made sure Brennan was out of hearing range when he took a seat and he started.

"Why are you acting so strange?" Jake asked.

"Because of what we've been through." Booth paused a minute. "I'll give you the quick rundown. Bones was almost killed by the mob, framed for murder in New Orleans, had to investigate her own mother's murder. Her dad came back to kill people to keep them away from her, the gravedigger trapped her and Hodgins in her car and buried them alive. Zack was pulled into a logic game and is now in a psych hospital for the rest of his life, and one of her books was taken and used to create a real life case by fans."

"Wow, and she's still doing this work?"

"It's what she loves to do. About ten months ago, a sniper I worked with in the army went rouge. He was killing who he felt was bad. I was pushing to get him in jail so he came after me. He took out one of her interns, thinking it was me."

"You went after him though right?" John asked.

"Yeah, had to run around a shipping harbor playing dueling snipers with him. Shot his leg out from under him and he's in jail now. We've had a serial kill break out and torment Bones because she was smarter than him and he couldn't touch her."

"Torment?" Michelle asked almost afraid to ask.

"He went for her friends. Sent the heart of his ex-wife to Angela, went after my son, almost killed Cam with a poison, and he tried to finally kill Bones but like I said she was too smart for him and was waiting for him."

"What happened to him?"

"He fell over the balcony." Booth said looking at his beer.

"What about you?" Sue asked intrigued as Booth chuckled.

"Me? I was taken by a couple people from high end mob beaten and tortured, was a suspect for killing a guy I played hockey with, I was taken by the grave digger and but on a ship that was rigged to become part of the reef, was shot, blocking the bullet that would have killed Bones..." He trailed off a minute.

"How did you survive?"

"It was all in angling, caught my lung and bones shot the lady. Still got to get the FBI shrink back for that one." He sighed. "The FBI wanted to fake my death and was supposed to tell Bones I wasn't really dead. I was trying to take down a guy Bones walks over and knocks the guy out and then lugs me." He shook his head. "The shriek got away with nothing."

"Is that all from being in the FBI?"

"That's just since I started working with her and after all that I wound up with a brain tumor. We haven't had the best luck working together but we always make it through and catch the bastards." He took another drink of his beer.

"So even after all that you still work for the FBI?" Michelle asked.

"Yeah, I wouldn't have met her if I hadn't, we wouldn't have made it as far as we are if we didn't continue and we definitely wouldn't be having a kid together if we gave up. Besides I get to go to work and spend all day with her."

"So you know what the baby is?" Michelle asked with a bright smile as Booth smirked.

"It's a girl."

"How's your son feel about all of this?" John asked drinking his own beer.

"He's happy. Parker's loved being around Bones practically since they met. And they've only gotten closer. He was happy when he found out we were together and he was jumping up and down when he found out about the baby."

"Where did you get a name like Parker?" Jake asked.

"It was the last name of a guy I served in the army with. He was 20 and they threw him in the mission with me. We were supposed to take out another snippier and he was killed."

"So you used his name for your son?"

"Yeah, luckily my son's mom was good about it. She let me pick his first name and she picked his middle." Booth smirked.

"What is it something stupid now?" Jake laughed

"No, she used her dad's name. Parker Matthew Booth." Booth smirked.

"Any names for the baby?" Michelle asked as Booth nodded. "Well?"

"The names for her are top secret until she's born." He shook his head. "No one knows, not even our families." He grinned.

"My wife named our son after her grandfather. Timothy James Buther." John said shaking his head.

"It's not that bad." Michelle said waving him off. "Should could have named him Seeley." Booth chuckled taking another drink of his beer. "You still any good at shots?" She asked him.

"I was keeping up with Bones who's practically impossible to get drunk." Booth said with a grin before he heard Brennan and Tom laughing as they walked back over to them. "What did you tell her?" He asked Tom who smirked as he reached up and she laid her hand in his as she took her seat next to him.

"They were telling me about when you were in high school." She told him.

"Great." Booth said making her smile at him.

"So are you two getting married?" Sue asked as Booth took another drink of his beer and then looked at Brennan.

"I do not believe in the act of getting married. If two people love each other and are committed to each other, why do they need a piece of paper to prove it? Being with each other, helping the other, staying beside the other, having children and raising them together is enough proof."

"You'll give in." Booth said before taking another drink.

"I will not."

"Just because I said you will." He said as the two locked eyes before looking away smiling.

"So you're not getting married?" Michelle asked.

"No." Brennan said as Booth smirked, stayed quiet and drank his beer before she and Michelle stood up and went to get more drinks for everyone.

"So, you play football at all anymore?" John asked.

"No, I play hockey through work, got a pretty good team going, even have one of her interns on the team."

"You have a squint on the team?" Tom asked as Booth smirked.

"Yeah, Wendell, he's probably the only normal one there, besides Angela."

"Normal one?" Jake asked

"Yeah, they are all very literal and very scientific."

"Even your girl?"

"Bones is the worst of them all." He grinned before she came back and sat beside him again. He saw her put her hand on her belly as conversation of the old days started up. Booth reached over laying his hand on Brennan's belly with a smile. "Princess is active today." He smiled as she nodded. The two laughed talking about when Booth was in high school and about all of the friends now before Booth looked at his watch, seeing Brennan stifle a yawn.

"That was the craziest detention ever." John said as everyone laughed.

"We should get going. We have a few things to tie up in the morning before I pick my son up. We really have to get home." Booth said as he stood up and helped Brennan out of the low seat.

"Seeley, if you guys ever come back up make sure to stop in." Michelle said handing him a paper. "Keep in contact this time maybe we can get the kids together sometime."

"Yeah, Parker would love that." He said with a small smile as he put the paper in his pocket. "It was great seeing everyone again."

"Same Seeley. You really need to keep in touch." Jake said. "At least let us know you're alive once in a while."

"Will do." Booth smirked as he started walking out with his hand on Brennan's back as they reached the SUV. "You sure you're not too tired to drive?" He asked as she took the keys and shook her head.

"I'm fine Booth. Let's just go home." She said as they climbed into the care and set off on their way home to DC.

Brennan woke up the next morning to the front door closing. She looked around not seeing Booth in the room. She jumped and she sat up quickly as the bedroom door opened. Booth looked at the scared face before he looked out in the living room where Parker was setting up the TV. He slipped into the room shutting the door.

"You okay, Bones?" He asked worried as he walked closer, to sit on the side of the bed. "Bones?" He asked as she looked away shaking her head. "You thought I left again." He said before he reached out pulling her closer to him.

"I'm sorry Booth. It is illogical for me to continue to think such but-"

"Sh. It's okay Bones. I know that you know I'm not going anywhere. I know you know I love you and will always stay with you and I know that because of the past it is hard to get rid of the feelings then you wake up to someone gone."

"I'm sorry, Booth." She said softly as he shook his head and kissed her lips gently.

"Don't be. It's natural reaction with what we've been through. I'm sure eventually we'll be able to get over it but for now we'll work through it."

"Why did you let me sleep?" She asked confused. Usually he would wake her up so she wouldn't be worried if he wasn't beside her when she woke up, just like she did if she left to go to work before him. She couldn't help but feel that he left her in the middle of the night and he couldn't help but feel like everything they had been through as a couple was just a dream. They had been together for little over nine months and they still couldn't shake their fears.

"I was just running out to get Parker and you haven't been sleeping good as it is. I figured I'd let you get some more sleep for you and the baby." She gave a soft sigh and nodded. "Come on, Parker and me stopped by the diner and picked up some food." He smiled before kissing her again. This time he pushed, getting everything back. The kiss turned heated as they wrapped their arms around each other and Booth leaned them back onto the bed.

"Booth..." Brennan said in between kisses.

"Parker." He finished as he pushed away slightly and looked into her heated blue eyes. "I love you." He whispered making her smile.

"I love you too Booth." He stood up and relaxed himself as she climbed from the bed and pulled on her robe, following him into the living room. She sat on the couch and smiled brightly as Parker sat beside her grinning the famous Booth grin.

"Hi, Bones. You wide awake now?"

"Yes, I'm very much a wake now." Parker gave her another Booth smile as she moved her arms so he could lean in and kiss her belly.

"Hi little sister." He whispered as Booth stopped in his tracks watching his son try to talk with the unborn baby. "It's my weekend again." He said as Brennan leaned back with an arm wrapped around the boy as he cuddled up against her and laid his head on her belly. "Remember what I told you before; you have to be good for Bones. She does a lot to help everyone and one weekend when she goes places with Dad you have to be good." Brennan laughed softly as she felt a kick making Parker jump and look at her belly then at Brennan. "I don't think she wants to listen today."

"It doesn't appear so; maybe you can try to talk her into it later." Brennan smiled as Parker smiled and nodded before jumping to his feet to pass out the food as Booth walked the rest of the way into the room and sat on the couch beside Brennan. He grinned at her and saw a bright smile on her face before they leaned in kissing quickly before the food was handed out and they began eating.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Brennan and Booth sat on the couch with their files and notes spread across the table while Parker sat playing a video game. Booth picked up another paper and handed it to Brennan as she wrote it down. She shifted trying to grab one of her papers, it was becoming more and more difficult to move around and do anything as her due date came closer but she was determined to do everything herself making Booth smirk.

"Is Tom gathering his report also?" Brennan asked Booth.

"Yeah he's going to bring it down this week and then we'll have a meeting with Caroline and get this all filed."

"Does he know how to put the report together?" She looked at him and paused. "We're going to have to go through it aren't we?" He looked at her. "Booth you know how Caroline is with the reports."

"I know, don't worry, Bones. I'll take care of it." He said making her shake her head. "Let's just get ours done so we can have the rest of the week end to relax."

"And play games with me." Parker said over his shoulder as Booth smirked at him

"Yeah, relax and play games with you." Brennan smiled as she looked away from her papers and just watched Parker as he played his video game enthusiastically. She smiled as she pictured Parker trying to teach his little sister how to play once she was born. Booth paused and watched the look of pure love and adoration float across her face as she looked at Parker. He had never seen anyone but Rebecca look at Parker like that. Not one of his girl friends had ever looked at his son with anything but the look they would give him. A mock love created by the chemical reactions produced in their brains.

He smiled as he remembered Brennan acting the same with Parker even before they were together, although not as strong as it was now but she had always loved the boy, truly loved him. He knew she was the perfect woman as he watched her interact with his son and how she had included him in finding the house, and picking out what he wanted at the house. She treated him like he was her son who was around constantly instead of a kid who comes to visit like others had.

"What?" She asked looking at him and catching him staring at her.

"I love you." He said softly as she looked at him a minute before smiling.

"I love you too Booth." He smiled before they turned back to their reports. Parker lost again and left the controller on the floor before walking over to sit beside Brennan. Booth watched as she shifted to let him have more room before wrapping her arm around him and he leaned his head on her belly again. Brennan smiled reading over a paper in one hand and the other resting on Parker's shoulders.

"She moved!" He said happily making Booth and Brennan look at each other and then at Parker who was excitedly trying to feel the baby again. Brennan grabbed his smaller hand and moved it to where she felt a hard kick. After a minute, he was laughing and smiling brightly telling his father to feel. Booth smiled as he laid his papers down and laid his hand on her belly as she shook her head at the excitement on both Booth faces. She always loved seeing the excitement and love on both of their faces, especially from the simplest movements from the child in her womb.

"She'll be doing a lot more moving once she is born." Brennan said as Booth glanced at her with a small smile and Parker grinned. Booth knew she was worried about taking care of the baby when she was born. She was terrified that her past as a foster child would cause her to be a horrible mother. No matter how many times Booth and Angela tried to reassure her and show her how she is with Parker and Michael, she was going to find out when the baby was born, that she's a natural at taking care of children.

"So when she's born we can take her to the aquarium and the zoo and everything so we can teach her about all the animals. Right?"

"It's probably not going to before a little while after she's born." Booth said. "She's going to be really tiny and she could get sick and hurt really easy. So until she's a couple of months old we're going to keep her around the house."

"Aw." Parker whined making both Brennan and Booth smile before the doorbell rang making Parker jump to his feet and run to the door. He opened it as Booth yelled down the hall and started after him.

"Parker!" Booth called as he opened the door and looked up at the two standing before him.

"Dad the baby's butt face is here!" He called down the hall as Sweets looked at Parker.

"Parker!" Booth scolded before Booth showed up at the door. "Go back in there with Bones." He turned and sulked as he walked back down the hallway as Booth looked at the two men in the doorway. "What's going on?" He asked as his eyes keep flicking to Zack. Booth moved to the side letting them in.

"Zach and I have been talking and there's a chance he could be released."

"What?" Booth smirked. "That's great but you better be sure before you start telling Bones." Sweets nodded.

"Well it's almost solid there are a few things than need to be worked out." Booth furrowed his brow "We have to talk to you and Dr. Brennan about this."

"Sweets-"

"It won't harm anything. I guarantee it." Booth thought for a second before he led them towards the living room. Brennan looked at Booth's face as he walked in and stopped blocking Zack.

"Parker, go to your room for a little while." She said softly making him look at her.

"But Bones..." He whined.

"That tone of voice does nothing in your interest. Go to your room for a little bit and then we can play your game." He nodded and walked off to his room before Booth moved over to help Brennan off the couch. As she stood up, she looked at who was standing in their living room. "Zack? What's going on?" She looked at Booth.

"I have no idea, Sweets says they need to talk to us." Booth shrugged.

"About what?" She asked looking at Sweets.

"We have discussed many different angles and we believe we have developed a way to get Zack released."

"What?"

"They think they can get Zack out and back at the lab." Booth said as Brennan looked between Zack and Sweets skeptically. "It really can happen. What do you want us to do?"

"There are some things we need to talk about before we figure out how to get this to work." Sweets glanced at Zack who was remaining silent. "I believe that if I observe he has lost his dilution I can get him out but getting him cleared to work in the lab is going to be the hard part."

"He needs to be evaluated and watched." Booth said. "That's the best case."

"And he'll have to be watched around the clock." Brennan and Zack looked at each other confused as Booth and Sweets continued talking.

"Booth." Brennan said making both men look at her. "How can this be done? Is it possible?"

"Sweets can get him out, and I can talk to Cullen and Hacker. Might be able to get them drunk enough to agree." She gave him a slight glare. "It could happen. It's going to take a lot of work."

"But it is feasible to have Zack released and placed back into the lab?"

"Yeah."

"First we need someone who can say they watch him around the clock." Sweets said.

"That's not needed." Brennan said confused.

"It is to the courts so as far as they will know when they are checking into it there will be someone with him around the clock." Brennan nodded as Sweets looked back at Booth.

"What?... No... Sweets-"

"Booth who better to have him with than his boss and a sniper trained FBI agent." Booth looked at Brennan as she looked slightly worried.

"Sweets, we're about to have a baby, and you want to dump the government watching our every move on us?" Booth asked frustrated.

"They won't be watching, they schedule when they come out and there's someone at the lab who can be with him all the time. Just trade off at the lab." Sweets said half begging as Brennan turned and left the three men to talk as emotions flew out of control and she walked into the nursery. "Dr. Brennan okay?"

"She'll be okay." Booth said tearing his eyes away from the hallway and back to Sweets. "A lot has been going on recently." He sighed rubbing the back of his head

"Dad, Bones will be happy if we help." Parker said peaking around the corner looking at him.

"Weren't you told to go to your room?"

"Yeah but, she would be really happy and even I see how sad she gets after she visits him and all." Booth looked at his son a minute before looking back at the hallway. Booth looked back at Sweets and Zack waiting for his answer.

"I will be able to help with what I can. I do have a large family so I am used to taking care of children and like Dr. Brennan I am very intelligent so I will be able to help with other things also." Booth looked at him.

"Bones can't have much more put on her." He said to Sweets who nodded.

"I'll handle the rest, but I may need some assistance from you with the FBI." Booth took a deep breath and nodded.

"Fine, but Sweets-"

"I promise." He said as Booth looked at Parker still standing with his head peaking around the corner.

"Parker, show Zack where his room is." Parker grinned before running over and gabbing Zack's hand and pulling him behind him.

"How bad are things?" Sweets asked Booth.

"She was okay, a few nightmares about Broadsky here and there but taking her up to Pennsylvania and having them ask about everything we've been through. She barley slept when we got home and she's having a harder time controlling things."

"Is that why she walked away?" Booth nodded. "Do you want me to talk to her?"

"No, it's nothing like that. I just need to find a way to get things to settle in her head."

"You've never been able to do that."

"There's a few ways but I don't want to push anything."

"Maybe having Zack here and back at the lab with her will help."

"It's worth a shot." Booth said as Sweets nodded. "I'll talk to you tomorrow about Zack." Sweets nodded and left as Booth walked down the hall and into the nursery. He found Brennan sitting in a rocking chair wiping tears away. "Bones."

"Is everything settled?"

"Yeah, Parker's showing him where his room is and giving him the grand tour." He smirked as he walked over to crouch in front of her. "You okay?"

"Yes, I just had so many emotions rise up at the same time I was unable to control them all." He leaned forward placing a kiss on her forehead. "So Zack is staying with us and will be rejoining the lab?"

"It looks that way. Sweets and I still have a lot of strings to pull and favors to beg for." He smiled see a little smirk begin to form on her lips. "Come on let's get Zack settled in before we finish our reports and get some dinner. You want to take the new kid out?" He asked making her smile even more.

"I know this is a lot for you, Booth. All the cases piling on top of each other, the pregnancy and our issues that arise, worrying about what we're going to do with work when the baby is born, worrying about Parker. I know it is a lot for anyone to handle, but thank you for allowing one more thing to worry about."

"Bones, Zack is a strange guy I'll admit but I don't think he is capable of killing anyone. Just like I know he will do everything he can to make sure you and the baby are safe and healthy when I'm not around and when the baby is born, I bet he tries to help with her as much as he can." He smiled as she wiped her last tear away.

"You are probably right."

"I'm always right." He grinned making her laugh softly before they kissed as the door opened. They pulled apart with smiles not caring that they had witnesses to a kiss. "Come on." He said standing up, holding his hands out to help her stand back up. Brennan smiled seeing Zack in the doorway with Parker.

"This is the baby's room, she has everything already, we're just waiting for her." Parker smiled.

"Parker come help me find a place to eat." Booth smirked before kissing Brennan cheek, whispering in her ear. "I love you." She gave a small smile and then left Zack with Brennan.

"Are you ill?" Zack asked worried making Brennan shake her head.

"No, I'm very healthy. Did Parker show you the rest of the house?"

"He showed me his room, where I will be staying and here."

"It's you're room Zack. You're living here now, this is your home. Come on, I'll show you the rest." She walked closer and led the way into the hallway. "Booth and my room is this one here." She opened the door to let him see in. The room was neat, everything put away in a proper place. "There's a Bathroom here, and there is also one by your room. The kitchen is in here." She led him passed the living room and into the kitchen where Booth and Parker sat at a little table.

"This is a very large house."

"Yes, we wanted to have enough room for Parker and the baby to play and to be able to have guests." She turned to lean against the counter, as Parker was handing Booth menus. "The dining room is through there."

"May I have a drink?" Zack asked.

"Zack. Booth cut Brennan off from speaking making them both look at him. "This is your home now. You don't have to ask for a drink or anything. You can have anything that's here and if you want something from the store let us know when we go shopping."

"My home?"

"Yeah, you're not just staying here for a night or two, you live here. It's your home." Booth said as Parker jumped up and down on his bottom in his seat.

"Dad! Dad! Dad!" He cheered

"Parker. Parker. Parker." Booth said back making him laugh as Brennan smiled at the two as Parker held up a menu. "Asked Bones and Zack." He said making the boy turn in the seat and look at them.

"Can we go to Sid's?" He asked as Brennan nodded. "Zack, you want to go to Sid's?"

"Sid's?" Zack asked confused.

"Wung Foo's" Booth told him as Zack gave a small nod. "Alright bud, go get you're jacket." They watched the ten-year-old boy jump from his seat and take off through the house as Booth walked over to stand with Brennan. "Zack you can relax." He smirked before walking away to get his and Brennan's Jackets.

"Zack do you have any clothes?" Brennan asked and watched the young man shake his head. Booth walked in as Parker came through the dining room holding out Brennan's jacket. "Thank you Parker." She smiled taking her jacket as Booth helped her into it. "Booth we need to stop and get things for Zack before we come home."

"Sure, where do we need to go?"

"He doesn't have clothing, and we should get him some things for his room and-"

"Okay, we'll take him to the Mall." He smiled grabbing his keys from the counter top before he looked at Zack. "You have a jacket?"

"No, I never needed anything when was at the hospital and all of my things that were at Hodgins' place was sent home to my family." Booth nodded and stopped him in the hall to the door, opening the closet and handing him a black jacket.

"Here, this one should fit." He said as Zack pulled it on.

"We'll get you a jacket of your own while we're out." Brennan said as she stopped to talk to Zack while Booth locked the door.

They walked into the restaurant and saw Hodgins and Angela in a booth with baby Michael. The two looked up and their mouths fell open before they smiled brightly. Booth and Brennan walked over with Zack and Parker following.

"I thought he had to go back." Hodgins said softly looking at Booth who nodded as Brennan and Angela were talking about the baby in the carrier.

"Yeah, well Sweets and me are working on getting some strings pulled favors called in for Bones." The two men glanced at Brennan who was now holding the baby with a bright smile. "He's living with us and Monday Sweets and me are going to try to get things worked to allow him to work in the lab again."

"Will it work?"

"If my bosses are drunk maybe." Booth shrugged. "But I'm going to try anyway. Cullen's taken a liking to Bones since we helped his daughter and Hacker; well he still has a soft spot for her so it might work." Booth rubbed her back of his neck.

"She has you under her thumb." Hodgins said as Booth shook his head.

"Like Angela doesn't have you do insane things." Hodgins gave a small smile as he looked over at his wife. "Exactly."

"Dad." Parker said making Booth look over where Parker was at the bar talking to Sid. Booth walked over and saw Sid smirk.

"Hey Sid." The two men bumped fists. Before Booth leaned on the bar facing his son's seat. "How's the business?"

"As long as they don't start like they did the first time, its good." He smirked as Booth chuckled.

"Won't happen, I can guarantee that." Booth glanced over at Brennan as she held the baby and was talking with the others.

"How has she been? I know the last time we talked she wasn't feeling that great."

"She's better. Turns out she can get colds." Booth laughed. "We're working on getting her assistant back in the lab so I think she'll be even better after that's worked out."

"Parker said you've gained another kid." Booth smirked and looked at Zack as he stood looking awkward.

"Yeah, you could say that." He looked at Parker. "Did you go say hi to Angela and Hodgins?" He shook his head and took off over to the group.

"So what's going on?"

"Had a lot going on recently, just hoping that having Zack around will help Bones." Sid nodded.

"I'll bring out some stuff for you guys." Booth nodded and they hit fists before he wandered over to where he took the baby from Brennan. Michael smiled at him and started kicking his legs as Booth brought him to his chest.

"Hey little guy." Booth said, as Michael started kicking and giggling. Angela smiled at him before going back to talking to Brennan as Hodgins was talking to Parker. Booth turned and saw Zack watching. Booth took a step closer to Zack who was looking awkward as he watched everyone with the baby. "Why don't you say hi to your uncle Zack?" Booth said softly before looking at Zack. "You want to hold him?" Zack shrugged.

"You know he's wanted to visit you." Hodgins said looking up from his crouched position in front of Parker. Zack looked at him then nodded as Booth started handing the baby over. He held the boy very tense and looked at him as Michael looked up at him with a small smile. the friends watched as Zack gave a small smile back to the boy as Sid brought their food out and they moved to a larger table so they could all eat together.

"Booth." Booth answered his phone later that night while Brennan and Zack continued their discussion at the dining room table. "What?" Brennan looked at him worried as he stood up and walked out of the room. Zack was confused.

"Were we being too loud?" He asked.

"No. I'm going to find out what is going on." She said standing up and walking into the living room to find Booth as he hung up his phone. "Booth?" He looked at her as she walked closer. "What's going on?"

"That was Tom. Apparently the lawyers are snooping around and they are trying to pull the angle of who worked on the case."

"What does that mean?"

"It means they are going to throw a fit in court about Zack working on the case."

"But he was supervised by Sweets the entire time and he only clarified what i was able to find on the remains."

"He had access to the case, that's good enough for them." He said and sighed.

"What's going to happen?"

"I don't know." He paused trying to think of what to do. "We'll figure something out. We always make things work." He saw her nod looking back towards the dining room. "Bones." She looked at him. "We're not going to let them send him back. I'll do everything to make sure he stays with us, even if Sweets and me can't get him back at the lab, he's not going back to being locked up." She nodded as he reached out bringing her closer to him.

"They can't do that." She said softly as he Booth pulled her close to his body and kissed the top of her head.

"I won't let them, Bones." She nodded against his chest. "Let's get our reports done. Tom is coming down Monday to meet with us and then Caroline and we'll get this all closed and behind us."

"Okay." She said pulling away with a nod.

"Bones." He said making her look at him before he pulled her back towards him with her back against his chest. "Can't forget to rub the belly." He said wrapping his arms around her with a smile as she laughed a little. He ran his hands over her belly and felt the baby give a kick. "See she agrees"

"Sometimes I think you're from another planet." She smiled as she turned her head to look at him as he just grinned at her.

"Sometimes maybe I am." He gave her loving kiss before pulling back to look at her small smile. "Let's finish our work. And then we have to take Zack out tomorrow to get more stuff since the store were about to close when we got there." She nodded and went to take a step only to be pulled back to his chest.

"Booth." She complained only to have him kiss her cheek.

"I love you, Bones." The two locked eyes for a minute as she gave his arm that was wrapped around her belly a slight squeeze.

"I love you too Booth." He kissed her quickly before letting go and they walked back into the dining room.

"Is everything alright?" Zack asked.

"Yeah, just some lawyer stuff." Booth said as he took his seat back. "So where were we?" He asked as the three delved back into the case and their notes.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Brennan looked up from her desk to see Tom at the doorway with Michelle.

"You're a few minutes early." She smiled as she stood up. "It's good to see you again Michelle. I wasn't aware you were coming also."

"Figured I'd tag along. Maybe I can help."

"You can come in and sit down. We're trying to get some things worked out, so it might be a little while before Booth gets here."

"I hope everything is okay." Tom said as Michelle looked at her wondering if the things were personal or work.

"Yes." Brennan nodded. "Sweets and Booth are talking to their bosses. We are trying to get Zack reinstated here."

"The guy that was sent to a psych hospital because he killed someone?"

"Yes. Sweets was able to get him released and he is living with Booth and I now."

Booth walked up with Zack following him to Sweets standing outside of Hacker's office. Sweets looked at them then back at the door.

"Nervous Sweets?" Booth asked making the young man look at him.

"Yes, aren't you? I mean if we can't get them to agree this could hurt Dr. Brennan."

"Nope." Sweets looked at him as Zack looked between them.

"How can you not be worried?"

"Because they're not going to say no." Sweets looked at him confused. "Cullen and Hacker know Bones has been having a hard time with things since Vincent was killed. They both have-" The door swung open and Cullen was standing in the doorway.

"Come on." He said and all three men walked in as he shut the door behind them. Cullen walked back over to stand next to Hacker's desk. "Dr. Sweets said you want to put the person who killed someone back into the lab to work on high profile cases again."

"Yes sir." Booth answered.

"Why the hell would we agree to this?"

"Because Bones needs it." Booth said and saw both men pause and look at him. "She needs to have someone who is as good as her in the lab with her. If he hadn't been there she wouldn't have been able to leave and help solve this case from the field."

"Booth..."

"Sir, she's not going to be able to work for a little bit after the baby is born. We can't just put the cases on hold and there's no way any of the interns can work like her or Zack. We need someone who can work with us and will be able to solve the cases while she's out." Cullen and Hacker looked at each other.

"Dr. Brennan has been under a lot of stress since the death of her intern. Having that happen in front of her can cause many emotional issues that Dr. Brennan tries to push away."

"She seemed fine enough to start a relationship." Cullen looked at Booth who shook his head.

"We had talked about it before anything happened. After the intern was killed we didn't want to have regrets." Sweets looked at him; it wasn't like Booth to offer such personal information. "It wasn't a spare the moment thought."

"And you're saying she's stressed?" Hacker asked.

"The Jeffersonian is placing at least fifteen files on her desk every day for her to verify and catalog each set of remains attached to the files, they also want her going through bone storage to identify the remains stored there and then the murder cases are pulled on top of that. She is trying to balance all of that with figuring out how to arrange things for when the baby is born and after she goes back to work." The two bosses and Sweets looked at him. Sweets knew that Booth was worried about everything being put on Brennan at this stage of her pregnancy and knew that he was only reveling enough worry and information to get the two bosses to agree to let Zack help.

"How can you guarantee that nothing will happen again?" Booth looked at Zack who was watching him nervous and worried.

"Zack is living with me and Bones, he will be supervised on everything he works on."

"I have also learned that I cannot trust my logic and that when something is brought up that requires it I will turn to Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth for their logic." Zack said making everyone look at him. "I... I want to help Dr. Brennan with the work at the lab and I believe my presence will allow her to relax of sorts." Booth gave a small approving smile as Zack shifted in his spot nervously.

"If anything happens, this is coming down on you, Booth." Cullen said.

"I think having him continue to see Dr. Sweets would also be appropriate." Hacker added and looked at Sweets. "This will be reviewed in six months to see how well everything is working. You both are responsible for this." Booth and Sweets looked at each other before nodding to their bosses. "Okay, then it's settled, but everything we discussed needs to be followed."

"Yes sir." Sweets and Booth said at the same time before they turned to usher Zack from the room.

"Booth." He turned to see Hacker wave him back.

"Zack go to my office and wait for me there." He told Zack who nodded and walked out with Sweets. "Yes sir."

"How bad is Temperance?"

"She's holding in there but the pregnancy is throwing everything out of whack. She's having a hard time staying in control some times."

"Maybe she should take maternity leave early." Cullen offered as Booth shook his head.

"It's hard enough trying to get her to agree to stay out for a month after the baby is born."

"When does she want to go back?"

"After a couple days." Cullen and Hacker looked at him disbelieving. "It's Bones were talking about. she's not a normal woman." He smirked. "I'm working on getting her to agree to stay out longer still."

"Well good luck with that." Booth nodded and turned to leave. "Booth." He looked back. "Good luck with all of it." He nodded and left to find Zack sitting in a chair in front of his desk.

"Alright let's go." He said making Zack jump to his feet. "Let's take you to work." He smirked as Zack gave a small smile and they were off.

They walked into Brennan's office and Booth stood at the doorway with Zack a few steps in front of him as Brennan looked up from talking with Tom and Michelle. She looked from Zack to Booth who was leaning on the doorframe before he gave a small nod and smiled as Brennan jumped to her feet and ran over hugging Zack with a bright smile. She pulled back and smiled at Zack.

"What would you like me to do?" He asked.

"Go tell Hodgins, Angela and Cam." She smiled as he nodded and left went to leave only to be stopped by Booth.

"Tell her first." Brennan looked between the two confused as Zack looked at him. "Zack and I had a little talk on our way here and he told me something. go on." Zack turned and looked at Brennan.

"I never killed that man. All I did was tell the master where he was, but at the time if the master had told me to kill him I would have."

"Not now?" Brennan asked and Zack shook his head. "Why did you tell everyone you had?"

"Hodgins had told me I would not fare well in prison many times while we worked together."

"Go tell the others you're back." She said with a small smile seeing him turn and leave. Brennan looked at Booth as he walked closer. "You're not going to arrest him for lying are you?"

"It would be really stupid for me to do that. Besides we all knew he couldn't have done it, and I think he's learned his lesson about listening to anyone but us." She smiled and nodded.

"How did you get them to agree?"

"Sweets and me are just that awesome," He said as she looked at him with her head tilted to the side. "We told them how Zack could help you around here and how it would relieve some of the pressure of all of the cases and files. He has to be supervised when he's working and he is permanently with us."

"What was the price?" He looked at her. "You say there is always a price for something good."

"Don't worry about it." She narrowed her eyes. "Sweets and me are on the line for him."

"Are you both alright with that?"

"Sweets and me wouldn't have done it is we weren't." He kissed her cheek. "Let's get this stuff filed before I have to smooth things over with Caroline." She smiled and nodded as they walked over to sit in the chairs while Tom and Michelle sat on the couch. "Taking a vacation, Michelle?" He smirked as he sat down.

"Was offered the time away from home so I took it. Besides I thought I might be able to help." She said looking at him. "You look good in a suit and tie." She smirked as he shook his head and picked up Tom's report.

"I tried to write it up like you told me." Tom said as Booth started flipping through.

"Dr. Brennan." Everyone but Booth looked at the door to see Wendell. "We have the remains arranged and are ready for you." Brennan nodded and pushed from her seat.

"Another case?"

"No, I am teaching my grad students about how to identify remains from bone storage." She said pulling her jacket on and buttoning it up.

"That sounds interesting." Michelle said.

"Would you like to observe? It is only the skeletal remains that are left." Michelle nodded and jumped to her feet.

"Michelle." Booth said looking up from the report making her turn and look at him. "If Hodgins is there, make sure not to talk to him. He'll start pulling you into his bugs and slime and stuff."

"Bugs and slime?" She asked

"Yeah, either that or his paranoia."

"Hodgins is analyzing information from another file." Brennan said walking out with Michelle following her. "My interns work in the basement. We store over 10,000 sets of remains here. Our main objective here at the Jeffersonian is to identify each set of remains and have them sent to their families, or arranged for a burial. We also have other governments asking up to authenticate remains found from all over the world." They walked over to where Wendell stood with Daisy.

"Wendell and I have identified John Doe 8638928 as Raymond Gillers." Daisy said as Brennan pulled on a pair of gloves before Wendell handed her the file.

"How were you able to come to that conclusion?"

"The x-ray's and the medical records are a match." Brennan looked at Wendell.

"I examined the remains and discovered the remodeled fractures to his ilium and clavicle as well as the measurements of height, the muscle attachments indicate that he was a fairly well-muscled man."

"And the facial bones are a match to that of Raymond. We had Angela do a reconstruction of his face to be more exact also." Daisy cut in as Wendell looked at her. Brennan glanced from her to Wendell before putting the file down and lifting up the clavicle.

"I concur with your findings. Mark them, send them to discoveries and move on to another." They nodded and Brennan handed Wendell the file back. "Wendell, come see me at the end of work today. I have something I would like you to do."

"Yes Dr. Brennan." Brennan turned away pulling her gloves off as she walked with Michelle.

"So this is all you do?"

"When Booth and I are not working on a case yes. Although I have not been as active in the identifying as I used to be due to my increased fatigue from the pregnancy, I on occasion take several sets and identify them."

"What do you do when you do work a case?"

"Well Booth and I go to the scene; I examine the remains and decide what needs to be shipped here. Booth gets all the information he can about the area and people that had been near where the body had been found while my team and I work on finding everything about the body we can. We x-ray and examine every part of the body while Hodgins finds particulates and bugs to aid in figuring out how long ago the person was killed and where they were."

"Who is Angela that that woman spoke about?"

"Angela is our artist. She is able to recreate the face so we can match them to a photo in the system, or when we need to have a scenario to see what happened she is able to show various ways that something could happen. Cam is the head of our division and she is also the coroner. We usually only get cases with the only thing left are the bones and very little tissue but when we get full bodies she takes them."

"It sounds like you have full days."

"Yes, we have a lot of work to do here."

"Tom said you and Seeley are something else to watch on a case." Brennan looked at her. "I'm a cop; I'm thinking of trying to move into the forensics or even try to get into the FBI like Seeley."

"They are both good choices." Brennan led her down an isle to another two interns working.

"Bones!" They heard as Brennan sighed shaking her head. "Bones! Where are you?"

"I'm right here Booth." She said walking to the end of the isle. "You don't need to shout." Booth walked over to her and started leading her towards the stairs. "What's wrong?"

"Bancroft is here. He wants all the squints."

"What? What does he want?"

"He heard about Zack and is not looking happy." The three walked into Brennan's office. Michelle walked over to where Tom was in the back corner watching as Cam tried to talk to Bancroft while Angela and Hodgins stood with Zack to the side by the Iguana cage. Bancroft looked over as Brennan and Booth walked in.

"This is unacceptable. We have high profile cases that he should never be allowed to see. There is no reason for you to accept this and not even clear it with the Jeffersonian itself." He said angrily.

"We have taken the precautions and have discussed it with the FBI who agreed with us. We need another forensic anthropologist who knows how the facility works and are able to work with not only everyone here but also the FBI for when Dr. Brennan is unable to work." Cam tried to explain while Booth walked to the side and was on the phone with Cullen and Bancroft turned and looked at Brennan.

"Is this true? That you brought him back because you are unable to work?"

"I am able to work but we need extra help around the lab that the inters are not intellectually able to help with and as Cam explained there will come a time when I will need to go onto maternity leave. There needs to be someone who is able to operate with the team to solve cases while I am unable to."

"We would find a replacement at such time. He is a criminal and is not allowed to be here. If you are incapable of preforming your job-" His voice was starting to raise but Brennan's patience was running thin with his temper.

"Incapable?" Brennan said standing up straighter and glaring the head of the Jeffersonian in the eye as she took a step forward. "You believe that I am incapable of preforming my duties here? You have no idea what it is to perform any duties here."

"Bren-" Angela started but saw Brennan shift closer to the man and she looked at Booth as he tried to rush off the phone.

"I was hired to identify the remains in bone storage, to authenticate remains that were found all over the world, to teach graduates how to perform these duties, as well as travel to perform these duties as the institution sees fit. I began working with the FBI which has limited my ability to travel for you, but I still preform every one of my duties to the best of my ability-"

"That has nothing-"

"It has everything to do with this. There are cases that I go days without sleeping, hours with no rest and some days I do not even eat. I have been running my life like that to do the work you are constantly placing on my desk and not once have I swayed from that routine. Not once have I broken and complained."

"Bones." Booth said moving to her side.

"No, Booth, he doesn't realize what goes on here. What I do here, what Angela, Hodgins, and Cam have all sacrificed in their personal lives to perform the jobs he wasn't. Even now at eight months pregnant I still have days that I don't eat, still have cases that has me going for days. It is not healthy for me or my unborn child."

"She's right." Cam agreed.

"Not once have any of us swayed from work because we know that each and every set of remains sent to us is a person. Someone who needs to be identified and sent home to his or her families. So if I need to have someone who can do the job as well as me, someone I can trust, I will." Bancroft looked at her angrily.

"He will not be working here and that is final. I don't care what sob story you tell me-"

"Back off Bancroft." Booth said looking at the man. He looked at Booth shocked he would say anything. "Back off. You can live in your multimillion-dollar house and pretend you know what goes on here and you can pretend to run the place, but you come in here and start pushing them around, that's where it ends."

"Are you telling me how to run my business?"

"No I'm telling you to back off."

"You have no right to even be in this meeting." Bancroft looked back at Brennan. "You will work as you're told with who you're told. There will be repercussions if you donut."

"Is that a threat?" Brennan asked but before Bancroft could answer, Booth was pushing himself between Bancroft and Brennan.

"I don't care who you are or where we are. You threaten anyone on this team and we're going to have a problem."

"Is that a threat, Agent Booth?"

"No, it's a warning." He said as the door opened but neither man moved. Cullen walked over and looked at Brennan, her blue eyes a blaze with fury at Bancroft.

"Booth." Cullen said making him back up. "Take everyone out to relax a bit while Mr. Bancroft and I have a talk." Cullen said without looking away from the older man. Booth signaled for the others to leave and he started to lead Brennan out when she stopped and turned to look at the two.

"There are reasons we are where we are and reasons why you are where you are, but we are here to help victims and their families, we do everything in our power to help others while you only cause harm. that just shows what kind of people we are and what kind of person you are." She said before turning and storming out with Booth following. The group had stopped by the platform as Booth and Brennan were walking over.

"You should have said that." Booth told her.

"He is a horrible man and he needs to be told. You nor Cullen would let me say more than that to him without you dragging me out."

"There's reasons for that. There are ways to deal with people. You're way of yelling at him until you drop isn't going to work on him. He'll fire you and get someone else."

"There is no one else." The two stopped and were facing each other.

"Exactly, so let Cullen handle this." Brennan narrowed her eyes before turning and storming past everyone. Booth sighed and looked at everyone.

"I'll talk to her." Angela said walking closer to Booth.

"Thanks Angela." Angela left and Booth glanced back into Brennan's office where Cullen was speaking with Bancroft. "Let's go outside."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"So the case." Michelle started as they all sat in the lab's lounge. Booth wasn't paying attention, all he could think about was how angry Brennan had been. Michelle hit his leg making him look at her. "The case. Tom said it was an icicle?"

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Booth!" They heard as Angela walked into the lab. Booth stood up and leaned over the side.

"Up here Angela." She took off to run up the stairs. "Where's Bones?"

"I tried the reflecting pool, your house, the Lincoln Memorial... I can't find her." She said beginning to worry.

"There's a couple places she could be, just relax." He told her trying to keep his voice even and act like everything was all right. He started dialing his phone as he started walking towards the stairs. "Max... she fine. Max listen, Bones got into it with the head of the Jeffersonian... Yeah well she's pissed." They heard as he started across the lab and out the doors.

"Is she going to be okay?" Michelle asked worried.

"Between Booth and Max, they'll find her in no time." Angela smiled. "They're the only two who know her better than me, and probably better than she knows herself."

"I'll get my phone; Booth will call when he finds her." Cam said standing up to get her cell from her office.

"This is my fault." Zack said making everyone look at him. Cam turned and looked at him as he slouched in his seat. "If I hadn't been released and come back to help none of this would be happening."

"Zack, you came back to help Brennan." Angela said.

"Man, you did a great thing but helping. You took a lot off Dr. B during that case and even just knowing you were around for now on." Hodgins told him but Zack shook his head.

"Dr. Sweets and Booth risked their jobs to get me out and back here. If this goes wrong they will lose their jobs and everything." He said worried.

"Zack." Cam walked closer and took the seat next to him where Booth had been sitting. "I've known Booth for a very long time. He wants you to be back in our lives and Brennan's life. He wants you to be there when his and Brennan's daughter is born and he wants you there to help raise her. He trusts you to take care of them. He trusts that you won't do anything that would hurt her. He would not have risked his job if he thought you would hurt any of us, or if you would break Brennan's heart." Zack looked at her.

"What about Sweets?"

"Sweets is like a little brother to them." Angela smiled from his other side. "If you're older siblings needed something like the help of an old friend, wouldn't you do everything you could to help?" Zack nodded. "Well Sweets is helping his big sister and brother. He trusts that you won't let him down." Zack thought a minute before he nodded.

"Okay, I'm going to get my phone." Cam got up and walked away.

"Seeley has grown up a lot hasn't he?" Michelle asked.

"You would think, but there are times he's worse than his son." Angela said.

"Oh man, Parker." Hodgins said looking at his watch. "He's supposed to come over after school for that project."

"Bancroft." Angela and Hodgins jumped to their feet with Zack.

"What?" Tom asked

"When Parker has science projects and all he comes to the lab and we all help him. He's supposed to come in and work on it today for a few hours but if Bancroft sees us having Parker here, it's not going to be good."

"Look who I found." Cam smiled as she walked over with Parker. Angela and Hodgins looked at her. "It looks like Cullen is giving Bancroft a piece of his mind so he didn't see."

Booth stopped and looked at Brennan sitting on a bench in the park looking over the frozen lake he quickly sent a message to Max and Cam that he found her. He slowly walked over and sat beside her. Neither one looked at the other, just kept looking forward. Booth leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. He knew he had to let her time everything, he needed to wait for her to start talking. He didn't have to wait long.

"How did you find me?" She asked softly.

"I know you." Was all he said making her look at him. "I know where you would go to think, to get away from everything." She nodded and looked back at the lake.

"I am sorry if I worried you."

"Don't worry about it. I knew you would be okay and eventually either you would come back or I would find you."

"I am sorry about the situation at the lab." She looked at him as he leaned back in his seat and shook his head.

"You didn't do anything wrong. Bancroft thinks he can make you guys do anything he wants and he needs to be told and shown that it's not right and that he can't do that."

"But I could have been fired and then I wouldn't be able to work with you."

"Bancroft wouldn't have fired you. There's no one who can do your job, no one that can even come close to you except for Zack and we both know he wouldn't fire you and take Zack." He gave her a little smile. "Worst he can really do if cut some funds; pile on a few more cases and demands. He needs to have the famous Dr. Temperance Brennan for the publicity. And you know if he lost you, Angela and Hodgins would find somewhere else to go, Cam would even tell him where to shove the jobs and the FBI would stop funding them all together because I shouldn't work with anyone they sent."

"You think so?"

"I know so." He smiled as he moved closer to her. "You know when you and Cam first started working together and she was thinking about firing you?" She nodded. "Angela apparently told her that if she got rid of you, everyone in the lab would leave, and I would too. Cam didn't believe her so she asked me that if she fired you what would I do."

"You would have to follow the orders that your job give."

"There would be no way I would work with anyone besides you." She looked at him. "I wouldn't back then and there's no way in hell I would now. And you know once you two settled things and all Cam really hated that she even thought about firing you."

"No one would work there?"

"Not a single one of us. We all love you, there's no one who could ever fill your place anywhere." He took a deep breath. "You know I tried." He looked at her as she nodded. "After I finally realized I loved you I tried to have meaningful relationships, I tried to replace you with Hannah... but no one was ever good enough to fit into my heart where you were."

"I'm sorry that I made it difficult for you." She said softly

"Every hard spot, ever twinge of pain or fear, everything I went through was worth it." She looked at him as he shifted to look at her better. "It was all more than worth it. We made it through everything, and there's not one thing that can pull us apart after all those years of hell we went through." She smiled at him.

"No matter how hard someone tries."

"So, we are together," He smiled and reached over putting his hand on her belly. "Expecting a little girl, and creating a life together with our families and friends."

"New life and new memories." She smiled before he leaned in kissing her. They pulled apart and looked into each other's eyes before she shivered. Booth pulled his jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Let's get back to our friends." She nodded before he held out his hand and they started towards his SUV to head back to the lab.

Brennan and Booth walked up to the lounge to see Parker keeping everyone entertained. Tom, Michelle and Angela were the only ones who paid attention to the two as the others glanced at went back to Parker. Booth helped Brennan out of his jacket and he put it to the side before he moved closer to Cam and bent to talk to her.

"Bancroft?"

"Didn't see him and he agreed that if Cullen or Bancroft comes up he hides behind one of us." She smiled. "We've got things covered here, do you have things covered there?" She asked looking at Brennan who was pulled into the conversation with Parker.

"Yeah, she's good. Bancroft really pissed her off but I think after Cullen's done with him he won't be a problem anymore. Cullen was pissed on the phone when i called him. Like I said before him and Hacker have a soft spot for Bones, especially now." He smirked making Cam smile.

"Dad."

"Yeah, bud." He said still leaning on the table but looking at his son who was standing between Angela and where Brennan had taken her seat.

"Joey gave me this in school today." He said pushing the paper across the table "He said he's gonna win." Booth looked at the picture of a project obviously for an adult to do.

"And we told him he's got the squint squad behind him." Hodgins grinned.

"No way this kid is going to beat the famous Jeffersonian team." Angela added as Parker laughed.

"Nothing I'm going to be getting calls from the fire department for right?" Booth asked looking at them.

"No." Angela said as if it was a stupid question. Booth straightened up and put a hand on his hip.

"Nothing I'm going be getting calls from his mom." Hodgins looked around.

"Sure, we'll go with that." He smirked only to get hit by Angela. "No, nothing that will get you in trouble. don't believe me, Zack will help." He pointed at Zack who was looking confused.

"Why me?"

"So if he gets in trouble he can shoot you." Hodgins shrugged as Parker was turned to talk to Angela.

"I get calls I'm shooting both of you." Booth warned before he glanced at the stairs and saw the two men walking up. "Parker." He said waving him over to stand behind him as the others all turned to stand normally as the two men stopped.

"Mr. Bancroft and I discussed everything at length and we have come to an agreement." Everyone looked a little worried. "Mr. Addy will help when needed with supervision. He will only be involved in the FBI cases that he has been specified for a head of time until we are able to have an evaluation conducted." Bancroft nodded.

"But he may stay to assist on the FBI cases only." Bancroft said wanting to be clear. Brennan sat with a hard look on her face as she glared at the older man. Cullen looked at Booth who was trying to hold his frustrations with the head of the Jeffersonian in check.

"Mr. Bancroft..." Cullen prompted making the man nod and look back at Brennan.

"My behavior towards you was unjust, and I would like to apologize. If there is anything you would like, please ask. Except about Mr. Addy." Brennan shifted in her seat and crossed her arms.

"Back off on the cases you give her." Booth said making her look at him as he shrugged. "She still has files from when we first started working together. The amount of cases you throw on her desk is too much for any one person, no matter how brilliant and talented they are." Brennan gave him a small smile before looking back at Bancroft who looked between the two.

"That is what she was hired for Agent Booth."

"Not to be stuck here constantly, which is what I will have to do until I am old and die in order to complete all of the tasks you set upon me. You have other workers who are capable of doing at least half of the cases you send me." He looked at her before giving a sharp nod and walking away.

"You should be good now." Cullen said turning around to walk away. He stopped and looked back. "Hi Parker." Parker peaked out from behind Booth and looked at him as Cullen smirked. "Don't let Bancroft see him, I don't have an argument for that one." Cullen laughed as he walked away.

"Okay, Zack let's get Parker going on the best project ever." Hodgins grinned.

"That I'm not going to get calls about." Booth reminded them as Hodgins nodded before they led the boy down into the lab.

"Rebecca's going to be calling." Brennan said watching them walk away.

"Figured." He sighed as he sat on the chair next to her. "At least you get to relax during this one." Cam looked over and saw Hodgins walking through the lab with a large tube.

"Oh no." Everyone looked over before Cam and Booth took off.

"What's going on?" Tom asked as Angela sighed as Brennan shook her head.

"If we're right, Hodgins was going to recreate a cannon that he made a couple years ago. Blew up the entire ookie room, sent all the alarms going. Wasn't it horrible?" Angela looked at Brennan who shrugged.

"Booth and I were by the doors when it went off. We got out before the lab locked down." She smiled as Angela sighed.

"Bones!" They looked out to see Booth by Hodgins' doorway. Brennan walked over to the railing and looked at him. "Everyone might want to get down here." He said before Brennan and Angela started quickly making Tom and Michelle follow them. As they reached the bottom Hodgins was walking out pulling his jacket on. He gave Angela a kiss as he continued out with his case.

"Booth what's going on?" Brennan asked. As Cam walked out with Zack leaving Parker to look at the bugs in the room.

"Caroline called. They are releasing the two on bail."

"What?" Angela was confused.

"The lawyers are playing the no weapon; no crime tactic and the tech team at the Jeffersonian are saying there's nothing on the car. Our evidence is vanishing."

"We still have Melanie's testimony, the samples Hodgins collected, and the recreation of the murder weapon." Brennan said as Booth shook his head.

"Caroline is saying it's not enough."

"We've worked with less before." Cam said before she shook her head. "Okay, well we have what we have, how can we use it to prove without a doubt that this is what happened?" She looked at Brennan and Zack.

"There was skin on the tree that was linked to the second girl, if she had cut herself could there be traces on the victim?" Zack asked.

"Hodgins couldn't find anything and we removed the flesh to examine the bones." Brennan shook her head. "If there's any blood left on the clothes..." Brennan trailed off before walking into the Ookie room quickly with the others following.

"Bones, for people not as smart as you..." Booth said looking at her as she gave a small smile.

"If the killer had cut themselves the blood would have dropped onto the clothing." Brennan said as she pulled her gloves on. "Zack." He nodded doing the same with a little difficulty and then taking the clothing from the bag and laying it on the table while Brennan prepared the swabs."

"They're covered in blood." Tom said.

"But it's all soaked into the fabric." She swabbed an area most likely where the blood would have his and then cut a larger area.

"I'll see if I can pull two sets." Cam said as Booth looked at her. "You spend all day with them every day for weeks on end; you learn to think a little faster than you did." She pulled gloves on and took the items from Brennan.

"That would tie Melanie what about her friend?"

"The park has cameras right?" Angela asked as Booth shrugged. "If I can get the feed from the front of the park I might be able to enhance it to show any damage, or blood on the vehicle and depending on the angel I might be able to see into the car to see their clothing." Angela turned and left as Brennan and Zack continued to work on each piece of clothing.

"That was fast." Michelle said.

"If you're slow here, it could mean a killer getting away and another person dead." Brennan said without looking up.

"Look at all the facts and analyses them with all information. You cannot assume anything before it is proven."

"We learned our lessons about assuming and overlooking facts. We do our very best to push through ever fact discovered now." Brennan added before she looked at Booth. "I'll go see if there's anything I can still find on the remains that I didn't the last time. Zack." She said before they pulled their gloves off and walked out for the bone room where the bones were still laid out until the case had been completely closed.

"Learned your lessons?" Michelle asked.

"Yeah." Booth turned to his son who had picked up a beetle and was playing with it. "Parker, why don't you teach Michelle how to race those beetles." Michelle looked at him before he smirked and walked out with Tom who had started to laugh.

"What are we doing?" Tom asked.

"Running down every fact, double checking what the squints get with the real world and going over every last word in the notes."

"That's it?" He asked sarcastically as they walked into the bone room. Tom stopped at the end of the table as Booth walked over to Brennan.

"We're going to go to my office and look over all the paperwork. Call me if you need anything." She nodded as he kissed her cheek and they walked into the ookie room to see Cam talking to Parker. "You saving people now, Cam?"

"I'm waiting for the results." She looked back at Parker. "Let's get started on that project that's not going to get dad in trouble." She gave Booth a smirk. "Let me know what you find Seeley."

"Always do Camille." Booth called over his shoulder as he left with Tom and Michelle.

"Booth." He answered putting his phone on speaker as he walked over to the filing cabinet to get another paper while Tom and Michelle sat in front of his desk looking over the papers.

"Booth, we found something." Cam said making all three look at the phone.

"What did you find?"

"Angela was looking over the pictures from the crime scene and she found an icicle laying off to the side of the tree." Brennan said.

"The weather is still cold enough it's possible the icicle is still there, intact and could have some evidence on it." Cam added. "I also found the match in the blood to the second girl."

"Booth." Angela said as Tom and Michelle looked at him amused as everyone was joining in the conversation. "I looked at the footage the park sent me. They only sent me part of what I need but I think I found something that could help. I could only see the wheel as it was pulling out of the park but there was marks on it. Hodgins is looking into it now and the park is supposed to be sending over the rest of the feed now."

"Thanks Ange. Cam the blood is an exact match?"

"Yes, I was able to separate the victims and the killer's."

"What could we get off this icicle?"

"There could be blood, skin cells, there could be a number of things on it but we need it to be able to discern if it was used." Brennan explained as Booth sighed.

"We'll head up and get it." Michelle offered. "That way you can all keep working, we'll go and get it and bring it back. It's only about a two hour drive." She shrugged and looked at Tom who nodded.

"Do you need it frozen?" Tom asked.

"It would be best if it was." Brennan said as Tom closed the file he was looking at and put it on Booth's desk.

"Okay, one frozen icicle coming up."

"When you get to the scene stand where you were when we discovered it was an icicle that was the weapon and look at the tree that had the blood on it." Brennan began to explain. "You will find the icicle to the left a few inches from the tree. It appears to have some blood on it but it is on the edge of the picture so it is not very clear."

"Right. We're on it." Michelle and Tom stood up and left.

"Thanks guys." Booth said before he hung up and walked down to the FBI garage to see how Hodgins was doing. "Hodgins." He said making the scientist turn and look at him.

"Hey Booth."

"You find anything for me?"

"Actually, look." He led Booth to the hubcap sitting on the table and pointed to the edge. He swabbed it and put it in the solution making it turn pink. "They cleaned it but they didn't get the really hard to reach spots." He grinned. "Your guys didn't pull apart some of the stuff underneath so they missed the splatter and marks that were pushed into the hard spots."

"Need a ride back to the lab?" Hodgins gave a small nod.

"Yeah, thanks."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Hodgins handed Cam his samples and then pulled a container from his case. "And for you, Dr. B." He saw her pull her gloves on quickly and take the container.

"It's a piece of Bone." Zack said looking at the material in the bottom of the clear plastic container.

"That's what I thought." Hodgins said making Zack look at him. "Figured you two might like it." He smiled as Brennan turned away to go into the bone room. "That would make me... King of the lab." He grinned as Angela walked in laughing as Zack slumped slightly.

"You have plenty of time to rub your success in Hodgins' face, Zack." She smiled and gave him a kiss on his cheek; don't let Hodgins get to you so fast, you just got back." She looked at Booth who was standing to the side looking at a file. "Where's Brennan?"

"She went to the bone room. Hodgins gave her a present." Booth said not looking up. Angela rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Hey Bren." she said walking in as Brennan looked at the screen as she matched up the piece of bone to the end of the clavicle. "Is that the present Hodgins gave you?"

"Present?" Brennan asked confused.

"It's a saying when someone gives you something you need or want."

"Oh. Well in that case then yes. This piece of bone is from the end of her clavicle." She looked up as Zack walked in. "Zack do you concur?" He looked at the screen for a minute.

"Yes it appears to be an exact match." He said looking back at her.

"It was lodged in the car that belonged to Angela."

"That's just creepy." Angela said with a small smile. "Call her kill number one or something."

"Okay, well... Killer number one's car was cleaned but Hodgins was able to get to the hard to reach places. So she is tied to the crime but not indefinitely. We need concrete proof like we have for, killer number two."

"As soon as the other feeds come in from the park I should be able to get some angels with both of them in the car." She turned and left to walk into the office and see if the files were there yet. "Finally." She said to herself as she began her work.

Tom and Michelle pulled up to the scene and walked over to where they needed to be.

"Okay, left by a few inches." Tom said softly as he carefully walked closer, looking as closely as he could. "I'm not seeing it." Michelle set the cooler down and walked over in Tom's footsteps to help look. "Are you seeing it anywhere?"

"No."

"If this thing melted and we drove all the way here and can't bust these two I'm going to be so-"

"Got it." She said making him stop and look at her as she smiled. "Get the cooler." He grabbed the cooler and held it out. She pulled gloves on as she scooped the icicle and three handfuls of snow and closed the cooler. "There's ice packs in there too so we should be good for the rid back to their lab." She said as she started walking back to the car. "Is that all we need?"

"I think so. They didn't say they needed anything else." Tom pulled his phone out and dialed, putting it on speaker once they got into the car.

"Booth."

"Seeley, you need anything else from here?"

"Let me check with the others." They heard him open a door. "You need anything else from the park?"

"Ask them to look around. There may be other bone fragments on the asphalt." Zack said.

"Zack, I went over the entire area looking for bone."

"You missed the icicle." Angela said.

"Yes but I wasn't looking for the icicle. I was looking for remains." There was a pause. "The icicle should be all."

"You hear that?" Booth asked

"Yeah, we're on the way back now." The two hung up and Tom drove off with Michelle holding the cooler on the floor between her feet.

"Okay, now you put this there." Hodgins said handing Parker a liquid as Booth walked in.

"Are you going to have him blow something up?" Booth asked making both look at him with smiles.

"No, this is just the stuff to make luminal." Hodgins told him as he stood up. "This is just how to make luminal, what it's used for and how it works. Figured it was better than half the other ideas we came up with."

"I wanted to make the cannon." Parker said looking at his father.

"Yeah, I know, maybe when you're older and it won't back fire on me and your mom." Booth said with a smirk. "You find anything for the case?" Hodgins shook his head.

"Just the same things we already had from the car. But with the bone and blood on the car there's no doubt they both were involved. Angela's going over the feed to see if she can get a clear photo of the two in the car."

"Thanks." He turned and left to find Angela. "Ange, you got anything?"

"Nothing that can help yet." She said looking up at him from her chair at the computer. "Caroline still on your butt about the evidence?"

"You could say that." He sighed as he put his hands in his pockets. "We have a decent amount that will work, but it's a lot of little things."

"We'll get this all set out. We always do." She smiled up at him as he nodded. "Have you been to see Brennan since you got back from your office?"

"Not yet, I was on my way there."

"She's doing her dead talking thing again. She even kicked Zack out. He's with Cam now."

"I'll go talk to her. Thanks."

"Yeah, good luck with her. She's even more stubborn with the pregnancy."

"You don't have to tell me." He said making her smile as he walked out and towards the bone room where the door was shut. He opened it slowly and slipped in to see Brennan leaning over the remains looking closely at each bone. "Hey bones." He said softly as he walked closer to her. "How long you been at this?" He asked as he stood beside her but he still got no reaction. "Bones." He said a little louder making her look at him.

"What?" She asked confused making him smile at her.

"How long have you been in here?"

"Since Hodgins brought the bone piece to me."

"That was three hours ago." She set the bone down and looked slightly ashamed that she had lost track of time. "Come on; let's go get something to eat. I'm sure you and the baby are hungry." She looked at him a minute before pulling her gloves off giving in. She knew if she didn't he would bug and bother her until she did.

"Fine." He smirked at her as she threw her gloves into the trashcan to the side. As she turned to face him, again he reached out putting his hands on her hips pulling her closer before he pushed his lips against hers. She snaked her arms around his waist as she kissed back. The door flew open as Tom and Michelle ran in stopping in their tracks as Booth and Brennan turned quickly to look at them. Booth cleared his throat and moved closer to the cooler.

"That the icicle?" He asked.

"Yup." Tom said as Michelle was ginning. Brennan took the cooler and went into the Ookie room.

"Hodgins, the icicle." She said making him stand up from talking to Parker about the project and take the cooler.

"Look what me and Hodgins did, Bones." Parker said as Brennan took the seat Hodgins was just in. "It's luminal."

"Do you know what it is?" She asked as he nodded.

"It's a chemical that has the special property of emitting light when it reacts with certain other chemicals." He recited as Brennan nodded. "Luminal is a combination of... sodium hydroxide and..." He trailed off thinking, looking at Hodgins who glanced over with a smile.

"We went over it, you know this." Hodgins said as Parker nodded and looked back at Brennan and smiled.

"Hydrogen peroxide." He said happily as Brennan nodded.

"That's very good, Parker." Brennan smiled brightly at him as he looked back at the liquids in font of him. "Do you know what luminal reacts to?"

"Um." Parker looked at Hodgins. "Blood, copper, ummm..."

"There are certain types of bleach that will cause it to react, and-"

"Potatoes." Booth added as he leaned against the table to the side with Tom and Michelle next to him. Parker looked at him. "Hey I might not be a squint but I can learn." He said as Parker looked at Brennan for answers as she shook her head.

"I'm not telling you how he learned."

"What are the rules?" Booth said as Parker slumped a bit.

"No talking about the bad stuff in your job until I have armpit hair." He recited with a heavy sigh as Tom and Michelle look at Booth. "Bones you'll be there when I win right?"

"Of course." She smiled as Parker grinned. Before laying his hand on her belly. "Maybe she can watch too."

"Maybe, you're science fair isn't until after you go back to school after the holidays." Brennan smiled seeing Parker smile and look back at her belly.

"Found skin cells, and a bit of blood." Hodgins said looking at Brennan.

"Can you match all that?" Booth asked

"Definitely." Brennan nodded. Before looking back at Hodgins. "Separate the cells and the blood. Cam can match the DNA to one of the suspects and the blood is most likely the victim's."

"I'll separate everything and hand it over to Cam." Brennan nodded as Hodgins turned back to his work. Brennan looked back at Booth.

"Are you hungry?" She asked Parker who shook his head. "Have you eaten yet?"

"Yeah, Cam, me and Angela ate when I first got here."

"Your dad and I are going to get some food. Would you like anything?" Parker shook his head. "Okay, well we are waiting for results and until they come in there is nothing to do." She looked at Booth. "We should go eat." He nodded as she pushed to her feet. "Hodgins-"

"I've got him." Hodgins smirked and nodded looking at Parker before Brennan started walking over towards Booth.

"Be good for Hodgins, Parker." Booth said as Parker nodded. Booth put his hand on Brenna's lower back as they left the ookie room with Tom and Michelle following.

"Mind if we tag along?" Michelle asked with a smile as Booth shrugged.

"If you want." He said as they walked into Brennan's off to get their jackets. Booth helped Brennan into hers and then pulled his on and the three started over to the diner. "This the first time you're eating today?" Booth asked Brennan as they walked to a table.

"Yes, I ate this morning before we came to work but I became distracted working with the remains." She took her seat by the window with Booth beside her, Michelle, and Tom across from them.

"You should be careful doing that." Michelle said as Brennan nodded.

"Yes, I have been very careful about it recently but this case has caused me to work much harder. And usually I have Booth interrupting me every few hours to make me eat." She glanced at Booth as he leaned onto the table.

"Someone has to keep you from going into your trance." Booth smirked as she glanced at him with a smile.

"Although if you remember I was able to solve several of our cases." Booth nodded. The waitress brought over a coffee for Booth and a tea for Brennan before taking every one's order.

"You two come here often." Michelle smiled.

"Always." Booth said taking a sip of his coffee. "Closest place we can go and eat during the day." Suddenly Sweets sat on a stool at the bar next to their table. "What, Sweets?"

"I reviewed the files on the two killers. Melanie was telling the truth with what happened."

"How do you know?" Michelle asked.

"The indicators-"

"Sweets." Booth cut him off. "What's that prove?"

"I don't think Melanie wanted to really do anything. She was going for the flow. The girl, Angela is the one you need to look at. She seems like she is just stressed with a lot of problems going on at once, but she can be very violent."

"Violent? You can tell all that by reading their files?" Michelle asked as Booth tried to stop her.

"Sweets is very good at guessing by using his techniques from psychology. Although I do not believe in psychology as a science, I do admit his guessing has shown to be helpful several times."

"After all these years you still refuse to accept the fact that psychology can be very useful and is a legitimate branch of science." Sweets said as Booth shook his head and looked at Michelle.

"You really had to get them started? They've been doing this since we first started working together." Booth explained as Brennan shifted in her seat to be able to see Sweets.

"There are cases in which your expertise was needed but like Booth's ability to read the subtle changes in a person's stature it is merely a guess until it is proven with the irrefutable facts which I produce with my team in the lab."

"Really?" Booth asked looking at her then looking between her and Sweets. "You two can argue later. Not when I'm in the middle." He said, as both looked at him then each other, falling silent. Booth sighed and looked at Sweets. "So the ring leader is the Angela girl."

"Angela asked that we call her killer number one. She feels it is awkward to hear everyone saying her name while referring to someone who has committed a murder." Brennan said

"Okay so the first girl is the ring leader and the second went along with it, just enjoying the ride."

"That's what I believe." Sweets nodded "Where is the second girl being held? They should be kept separate. I believe that if placed together the first would kill the second for telling the cops what happened."

"The second is still in holding. She couldn't come up with bail."

"But the first did?"

"Yeah."

"You should have someone keeping an eye on her. She could become so irate after the entire event of being brought to DC, charged with murder and ratted out by a friend."

"You think we would let someone like her just wander?" Booth asked looking at him.

"Right." Sweets sat back more on the stool.

"Dr. Sweets." The waitress said handing him a coffee.

"So what happens now?" Tom asked.

"Now... we get yelled at." Booth said dropping his head.

"Seeley Booth." They heard as Caroline walked over to the table. "Did you get what I need or are you going to play innocent again?"

"We're working on it, Caroline." Booth said looking up. "They are putting everything together. I told you I would call as soon as they found something."

"And yet I come walking in here and you try to hide that pretty face. Cherie I need evidence or the judge will be throwing the case out in 13 hours."

"13 hours?" Booth asked as his and Brennan looked at her quickly.

"Yeah, those damn lawyers got the judge to agree."

"Booth I have to get back to the lab." Brennan said as he nodded as she kissed his cheek and left.

"Are they that far away from the results we need?"

"Not really, Bones is trying to go back over the bones to see if she missed anything." Booth explained.

"Well you better make sure she eats eventually, and let's hope that daughter doesn't pick up that bad habit from her, and make sure you eat. Cherie you need to be teaching that girl the good things before she's born."

"Yeah, thanks Caroline." Booth said with a small smirk.

"Anything for that pretty face of yours." She said before turning and leaving as Booth shook his head taking a drink while Sweets moved over to take Brennan's seat.

"She seemed like she liked you." Michelle smiled as Booth chuckled.

"She's the prosecutor." Sweets said. "Booth has helped her with a lot of his cases to be able to send the killer to prison."

"When she needs help finding someone I find them and when I need some legal help she lends a hand."

"Legal help? What have you gotten into?" Michelle teased.

"It was for Bones back when we first started working together."

"New Orleans?" Sweets asked as Booth nodded.

"I'm going to see how things are going with the DNA." He said finishing his coffee before leaving to go back to the lab. Tom and Michelle looked at Sweets.

"Okay, so Seeley doesn't want to tell us anything. What exactly are they afraid to talk about?" Michelle asked curious.

"Basically their entire past together. They went from nearly sleeping together to hating each other to loving and not being able to have, hurting each other for making it impossible for the other to be with them or for moving on. And that's just their personal lives." Sweets explained.

"What do you mean?" Tom asked.

"Well they started working together regularly, a year after their first case where they nearly slept together. When they started working together Dr. Brennan was taken by a dirty cop that Booth had told her was a safe person after he was blown up."

"Blown up?"

"Yes, the cop had set a bomb in her refrigerator and he was the first one to open it. But she's been kidnapped, beat, nearly killed on more than one occasion and pushed to the bitter end. Booth has been blown up, shot, nearly drowned, kidnapped, and beat and he was pushed far beyond limits a few times. Since they discovered she was pregnant they have been determined to take everything that had happened to them and leave it all behind them."

"But it led them to where they are now." Michelle said as Sweets smirked.

"But what actually brought them together is not a memory they want to remember. They both realized how fast life can be taken away when her interns was shot while he stood between them at the lab. Dr. Brennan was trying to talk to him while Booth tried to stop the bleeding. He died in front of them. They do not revile much about their personal lives to anyone but sometime after that they began dating and it wasn't long after that they announced they were having the baby."

"They don't talk about their personal lives?"

"No, they prefer to keep work and home separate, they barley show any affection while working at all."

"Must be why they had the door shut." Sweets looked at Tome and Michelle curious. "When we got back from getting the icicle we were told they were in the bone room and when we walked in they were kissing."

"Kissing?" Sweets asked intrigued.

"Enough gossip." They heard making them look to see Booth. "Sweets we have to go talk the first girl." Sweets nodded as Booth paid for the drinks. "You two want to spread rumors like High school, start talking about Sweets wetting the bed or something." He said softly to them before he followed Sweets out of the dinner leaving them laughing.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"So what you want me to flip on Melanie 'cause she told you some story about what happened?" Angela asked angrily as Booth and Sweets stood outside of the hotel room.

"Well if you think it happened another way, we'll listen." Booth shrugged.

"I don't need to talk to you without my lawyer."

"Yeah and you know that friend of yours didn't even need one. She was smart enough to cooperate." Angela glared at Booth but he stood unfazed by her glares and tone of voice towards him. "So you know you tell us something different and if it matches up things might start looking better for you. Right now, it's not looking too good. And the only reason you're not sitting in jail is because we didn't have a weapon."

"And it looks like I'll be getting out of the charges with no weapon too." She shot back as Booth smirked and shrugged. "No way you can pull me down on this murder." She said shaking her head. "No way that bitch is going to get me and the judge says I have another 11 and a half hours before all charges are dropped."

"If we don't produce a weapon."

"Yeah."

"Guess what, we found one. And we found some interesting things that the lab at the Jeffersonian is analyzing right now. You see I think it's going to all come back with a match to you."

"Go to hell." She said putting her hand on the door. "You want anything else you can go through my lawyer." She slammed the door and Booth looked at Sweets.

"She could definitely become dangerous." Sweets said as they made their way back to the SUV.

Booth walked into the lab and started for Brennan's office.

"Bone room!" He heard making him look at the lounge overlook to see Cam looking over with Tom Michelle, Zack and Angela.

"Thanks, Cam." He called back as he started towards the bone room where the door was still shut. He slipped in slowly and smiled seeing Brennan hard at work. Slowly he walked to her side and slid a hand along her back. "Hey Bones." He slid his hand up her back to the base of her neck making her straighten and look at him. "I got you something he smirked as she looked at him confused before he pulled a small box from behind him.

"Ambrosia Chocolates?" She asked with a small smile.

"I know how much you love them and even if it does you no good, you need something in your stomach." Brennan pulled her gloves off with a smile. "I got your favorite and made sure there was no creamy center."

"Not after that case." Brennan scrunched her face and shook her head making Booth grin.

"Finish up what you're doing, you and me are going out to dinner." She looked at him. "Rebecca is getting Parker in a few minutes and we have pretty much everything put together, we're just waiting on results from the other stuff."

"Booth."

"Not taking no for an answer. You and the princess need to eat." He said with a smile before kissing her lips gently. "I'll let you know when Rebecca has Parker." She sighed and nodded knowing he wasn't going to back down.

"Booth what about Zack?"

"Cam and the others want to take him out to dinner so it's just me and you."

"And Tom and Michelle?"

"They'll go with the others. They want to know all about us and what better way than to go out with the others and have them tell them what they know and we can just keep enjoying our new life." She nodded before she leaned closer kissing him, pulling apart with smiles. "I'll be back." He gave her another kiss before he slipped back out to find Parker still talking to Hodgins.

"Dad, look. Hodgins and me have my whole project worked out." Parker said happily. Booth smiled as he walked over to look at it.

"Turning you into a regular squint huh?"

"Yup."

"Don't know if I should be afraid or proud." He smirked as Hodgins smiled. "Let's get your stuff. Your mom's going to be here soon."

"Why don't we leave you're project here until it's time for the fair. That way nothing will happen to it." Hodgins suggested as Parker nodded.

"Okay, go get your stuff." Parker took off. "Thanks Hodgins."

"We take turns showing up his classmates. Makes us feel good to show up ten year olds." Hodgins joked as Booth shook his head. "And I bet when Michael is older we'll all be doing the same thing, and I know you'll be the one to teach him the stuff we can't."

"Our kids have to be well rounded after all." Booth smirked before leaving to find Rebecca walking into the lab. "He's grabbing his stuff now."

"I'm sorry I'm so late. I got tied up at work." She said.

"Don't worry about it. He likes spending time with every one when i need to look at some things. They even helped him get his science fair project done."

"Finished?"

"He has the entire lab to help him, just had to make them swear they wouldn't help him do something that would get us in trouble." Rebecca smiled as Booth smirked.

Up on the overlooking lounge the group watched Booth and Rebecca talk curious about what was being said but Tom and Michelle were filled in about the two while they watched.

"That's Rebecca." Angela said. "She's Parker's mom."

"She refused to marry Booth when they found out she was pregnant because she didn't want to be one of those women who marry out of desperation." Cam added. "They had some trouble dealing with everything for a while but when he stopped gambling things got better."

"He was a gambler?" Tom asked.

"He apparently was really bad, until he met Brennan." Angela smiled. "He hasn't gambled since. If that doesn't prove they're meant for each other I don't know what does."

"Well everything they made it through together with almost no damage is piled in there too." Cam smiled.

"Yeah. They've been through hell and back and are still together. That definitely has to prove something."

"What kind of things?" Tom asked. Angela and Cam looked at each other before down at Booth still talking with Rebecca, both smiling and laughing softly. "They don't look like they hate each other."

"They don't. They are good now. After Booth stopped Gambling things settled and when Rebecca found out about his feelings for Dr. Brennan she's been pushing him to go to her." Cam told them.

"She's really one of us." Angela smiled. "Booth and Brennan's match makers." Angela and Cam because telling stories about Booth and Brennan when they had firs started working together before Booth turned and looked back towards the office.

"Parker." They heard before Parker came running out and over to them. Booth knelt down to help zipper his jacket. "You be good for your mom. Bones and me will take you to the aquarium this weekend. Okay?" He nodded.

"Can I go say bye to Bones?"

"Hurry up bud, your mom wants to get home." Parker turned and started towards the bone room with Booth and Rebecca behind him. Booth opened the door to show Brennan leaning over the bones. "Bones." She looked up at him. "Parker wanted to say bye." Brennan smiled and pulled her gloves off as Parker walked closer and wrapped his arms around her.

"Bye, Bones."

"Bye, Parker." She smiled before he let go and looked at her belly.

"Bye little sister." He kissed her belly. "I'll see you later Bones." He said before he ran past both his smiling parents.

"Parker Booth." Rebecca called making him stop and look at her as the three adults walked from the bone room. "How many times has your father told you not to run in here?" She looked at Brennan. "How are you feeling? I know when I was pregnant with Parker I was exhausted by this time."

"I'm much more tired than I used to be but I'm doing well." Brennan replied as Rebecca smiled.

"Make sure to keep me updated." She glanced back at Parker as he still stood where he stopped but he was beginning to spin in place a bit. "I better get him home. Thanks again for watching him." She walked over taking Parker's hand and leaving as Booth turned to Brennan as they smiled at each other.

"They're telling stories about us and watching." Booth said with a small smile making Brennan nod and smile at him. "Let's get our stuff and go get something to eat."

"Could we eat at home tonight? I am becoming very tired."

"Anything you want." He saw her grin as he placed his hands on her hips. "Within reason." He chuckled. "Come on." She leaned closer and they gave each other a loving kiss before looking into each other's eyes.

"I'll grab my bag and give Zack my key and then we can go." He nodded giving her another kiss.

That night Booth and Brennan sat cuddled on the couch watching a western movie when Booth heard the front door open and close. He turned his head to see Zack walking in.

"I am sorry I am back so late." Zack said making Booth shake his head.

"Zack, you're not under any restrictions here. You can come and go whenever you want." He explained as Zack walked around the couch to sit in a side chair.

"Were you waiting up for me to get home?"

"We were just watching a movie and she fell asleep." Booth said as both men looked at Brennan cuddled against his side as he held her close. "The pregnancy makes her really tired especially after working for so long during the day. The movie is almost over and then I'm going to take her to bed."

"I am not used to any of this. I lived by myself over Hodgins gauge, I never ate dinner with him or sat as a family, and it is strange to see you and Dr. Brennan as a couple expecting a child." Booth smirked as he put more popcorn into his mouth.

"It takes some getting used to, when you worked with us it didn't seem like we would ever end up like this but can't see it any other way now that it did happen." Booth smirked looking down at Brennan's face. "You were never her intern or assistant Zack." He looked at Booth confused. "You were always family to her. You're closer than anyone in her real family and that's never going to change. Remember that."

"Closer than family?"

"Yeah, so moving in here with us is us helping our family."

"Your family?"

"Yeah, Zack. You're my family too. There's more than one kind of family. Everyone at the lab is my family. Cam, her daughter Michelle, Sweets, Angela, Hodgins, Michael, you, you're all our family. So don't worry about anything and just join in." He smiled as the movie ended.

"How are you going to get her to go to bed?" Booth smiled as he shifted kissing Brennan's forehead.

"Bones." He moved under her. "Bones." He said again making her stir. "Let's go to bed, baby." She nodded and sat up too tired to scold him for calling her 'baby'.

"Did you have a good dinner with the others?" She asked Zack.

"Yes, it was something I have not experienced in a very long time."

"I'm glad." She smiled as she stood up while Booth cleaned up. "Once this case is over with Booth and I will take you out to dinner."

"You will?"

"A welcome home dinner." Booth smirked as Zack nodded. "Bones, head to bed, I'll finish up cleaning and I'll be in." She nodded and walked over to Zack.

"You have everything you need. Right?" She asked him and saw him nod at her. She leaned down kissing his forehead. "Good night Zack." She smiled before walking into the bedroom leaving Zack stunned. The only time she has treated him like that was when he was in the hospital before he was sent to the psych hospital.

"I told you. You're her family." Zack looked at Booth. "The remotes there if you want to watch TV. Good night Zack."

"Good night Agent Booth."

"Zack, you don't need to be so formal, especially at home. You can drop the titles." Zack nodded.

"Good night Booth." He corrected making Booth smile before he walked down the hall, changed and climbed into bed with Brennan who was already dozing off.

"It's a match." Cam said with a small smile with Booth, Brennan, Tom and Michelle standing in front of her. "The skin cells found on the ice are a perfect match to Angela Currier and the blood was a perfect match to Elisa Alverez."

"We've got our smoking gun." Booth said tossing the poker chip he was fiddling with in the air and snatching it in midair. "Caroline's going to send you a gift." He smirked as he pulled his phone and started calling Caroline. "Yeah, Caroline, we got it. We have both women tied in with hard evidence." He hung up and smirked.

"So what now?" Tom asked

"Now Caroline sends agents out to get the girl that was out on bail, we combine our notes and Caroline takes it from there."

"That seemed so fast." Michelle said looking at Booth and Cam.

"That's how we work here. Get the cases solved, give families answers and send the bad guys away." Cam smiled. "Where's Zack?"

"He's with Angela, Hodgins and Michael." Brennan said before leaving.

"He seems like he doesn't know where he should fit in anymore." Cam said as Booth nodded, walking over to lean against a table. "You notice it too?"

"Yeah, last night he came in late and was apologizing for being late." Booth said with a sigh. "Had a ten minute conversation about family with him before I woke Bones up to go to bed."

"He doesn't think he's family?" Booth shook his head. "But we told him..."

"You know how they are. It's hard for them to understand that anyone could love them in anyway."

"I know."

"Let me know if you get any calls from Caroline." Cam nodded and Booth left as Tom and Michelle looked at Cam who paused and then sighed.

"I'm not telling you anything."

"Come on, they won't tell us anything but they just say they've been through a lot." Michelle half-whined Cam looked between the two.

"Okay, Dr. Brennan was abandoned as a child and went through the foster care system. She's only ever trusted one person after that."

"Seeley."

"Yes she trusts him with her life and heart and she always has, although she still has worries. She, like Zack, can't see how anyone could love them and want to be around them. It took years and a lot of events for us all to get where we are with her and Zack. We make sure to prove every time we can that we love both of them as if they were blood relatives to each of us."

"That's sweet."

"So you made your own family." Tom said

"Yeah. We're even uncles and aunts to Michael." She smiled. "Although there still discussions over names."

"What do you mean?"

"Well Booth insists on having Michael call Dr. Brennan auntie Bones so we tell him we'll make the baby call him uncle Seeley then he tries for aunt Camille. It's a big circle with the three of us."

"Like an interesting family." Michelle said.

"Well we're all each of us really have so we show each other how much each one means to us as much as possible. Especially since the one intern was killed." Cam shrugged. "Nothing I said goes past those doors." The two nodded before they turned and left to find Booth and Brennan.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Booth stood in the doorway to Brennan's office watching as she held Michael in her arms while she sat and spoke with everyone on the platform. He crossed his arms and smirked as Brennan smiled brightly at the baby making him squeal.

"So you always stand over here and watch?" Michelle asked as Tom started over to the platform as Cam got up to swipe her badge to let him on the platform. "Why aren't you up there with everyone else?" Booth shrugged but continued to watch. "Cam told us a few things."

"Like what?" He glanced at her as she looked at him.

"Like what happened to cause you to keep your mouth shut about the past. Although she refused to tell us more than one or two stories, it was enough to get the point across." Booth looked at her as she glanced back at the others on the platform.

"You are nothing like you were when we were younger." Booth nodded. "Never would have thought the big tough guy jock would become a cop. a fed even."

"Never thought you'd be a cop either."

"Well we all have to grow up sometimes." She paused. "That son of yours is really smart. I sat with him and that Dr. Hodgins for a while. He was answering questions left and right and there were even a few questions he stumped the Dr. with. Started rattling off bones or something." Booth smirked.

"Comes with spending a lot of time around here and living with Bones. Bones teaches him everything she can and the others fill in the gaps."

"What about you? What do you teach him?"

"Sports mostly. Not much else I can teach him that's useful."

"Well not until he has armpit hair." She smiled making him smile.

"Had to make that rule or I'd be getting calls from his mom about him blabbing the details at the dinner table. I would never hear the end of it."

"You and your ex are pretty close."

"Yeah, well it got better after some things were settled."

"After you stopped gambling?" Booth looked at her as she shrugged. "Cam said you stopped after you started working these cases."

"Did she now?" He looked at Cam as she took the baby from Brennan.

"The important thing is you found a way to stop."

"Yeah, just replaced it with something else."

"Something else?"

"Haven't gambled since I started working with Bones. Haven't even felt like I wanted to."

"She is a great person."

"Yeah. Yeah she is." He nodded as he looked back at Brennan as she sat back putting her hand on her belly before smiling and telling Zack to feel.

"You really love her don't you?"

"Yeah." He looked at her and nodded. "I do. I have since I first saw her and everything over the years has only made me love her more."

"You're a great team at work and it sounds like you're great at home with your son and helping your friend..."

"That's what family's for."

"Booth." Both of them looked over to see everyone looking at him.

"Your nephew wants a hug." Angela smiled at him. He smirked and started over with Michelle following him as he swiped his badge and they walked over. He took the baby from Cam with playful grunt as the boy giggled and squealed in delight.

"He loves his uncle Seeley." Cam smiled as he grinned.

"Just as much as his Aunt Camille and Auntie Bones."

"How did I get pulled into this conversation?" Brennan asked making Booth smirk. He shifted the baby into one arm while he pulled a chair over the sit next to her. "That was entirely uncalled for, Booth."

"He's got to learn who you are."

"My name is not Bones."

"It's not?" He asked looking at her with a surprised look. Brennan opened her mouth to speak but decided better of it and just turned away to talk with Angela who was watching the two amused.

"He is quite alert." Zack said looking at the baby in Booth's lap. Booth looked at him and then handed the baby over. "What?"

"Hold him." Angela said making Brennan turning to look at what was going on.

"He's you're nephew after all." Hodgins added with a smiled before Zack took the baby gently. "He looks cute with his uncle Zack." Zack looked up and gave a small smile as Booth's phone rang. Booth pulled his phone from his pocket and looked at the id as Brennan glanced over.

"You want to take it first?" He asked her. She shrugged and took the phone.

"Hi Parker." She answered. "Yes, we're all just finishing up... Yes, you too." She smiled. "Here's your dad." She handed the phone to Booth.

"So he calls every night?" Tom asked.

"Yes, he makes sure to call to say good night every night before bed."

"Hold on." Booth said before pushing a button on his phone and putting the phone on the table. "Okay."

"Night every one!" They heard Parker call from the phone.

"Good night Parker." Everyone smiled and said back. Booth reached out for the phone.

"Dad, make sure Bones gets lots of sleep tonight." Booth looked at Brennan as she shook her head and Booth took the phone off speaker.

"I will bud. You get some sleep for school tomorrow." After another few seconds, he closed the phone and put it away. "You hear that Bones? You have to go to bed early." He smirked.

"He is too much like you sometimes." She told him making him smile as she shook her head and looked back to Angela.

"Agent Studly teaching baby Booth some stuff?" Angela asked amused as Brennan nodded and Michelle and Tom laughed.

"Agent Studly? Really?" Michelle asked as she tried to stop laughing.

"Angela has called him that since we started working together." Brennan explained.

"So how did you get that name?" Booth looked at Angela who smiled.

"Well he's hot." She said as Booth smirked sitting back in his chair. "And having him wheeled through the lab in his boxers didn't hurt." She grinned making him sit up.

"Angela-" Booth tried

"What? Now we have to hear this story." Michelle said trying to stop from laughing.

"No, you don't."

"A victim was blown up and there were parts on his clothing." Angela said ignoring Booth. "His clothing became evidence until we were able to clean the pieces off of them."

"So you sat in here naked?" Tom asked.

"It was worse walking in while they were being collected." Cam said earning a glare from Cam as she smiled. "I'm sorry, it just-"

"Bones." Booth said looking at Brennan who was smiling at him.

"What happened?" Michelle asked Cam who glanced at Booth as he sighed and sat back in his chair in defeat.

"Dr. Brennan was collecting his pants when I opened the door." She said as Booth shook his head and Michelle laughed at him. "We have our fun times around the lab."

"Like Bones and Angela inhaling." Booth looked at the two women who looked at him. "You started this." He shrugged.

"Inhaled what?" Tom asked.

"Bones got into a fight when Angela took her out to a club. Kicked a guy into a wall and showered the floor with meth. Nearly attacked a couple cops trying to seal off the scene and then she was going all night."

"And you're the one who brought your girlfriend to the scene." Angela said giving a look as she cross her arms and sat back in her chair as Brennan nodded and looked at Booth.

"You two were high." Hodgins laughed making both women glare at him. "I'm just saying." He said holding his hands up in defense.

"Nice save." Booth said as Hodgins gave a little shrug.

"I don't want to be the one sleeping on the couch." Hodgins and Booth smirked as they looked at Brennan and Angela who rolled their eyes. "I learned my lesson with pregnancy. Besides you make one of them mad the other punishes you." He said low making Booth give a small smirk

"Then you should mind your manners." Angela said making Brennan give a small smile as she rubbed her belly.

"The baby kicking hard again?" Cam asked as everyone looked at Brennan who gave a small nod. Booth reached over resting his hand just above hers to feel the baby kick again. "She's been really active recently hasn't she?"

"You know what that means." Angela smiled.

"No." Zack said looking at her confused.

"It means the baby will be here soon."

"How does that relate?"

"She's getting ready to keep mom and dad up all night before they have to go to work all day." She grinned as Booth shook his head.

"Nah this kid is going to sleep through the night." He said.

"Its about the only time she's still." Brennan added with a smile as she moved her hand over Booth's.

"It's because her dad's around. She's so going to be a daddy's girl." Angela smiled as Booth smirked.

"Nothing wrong with that." Booth said.

"She's going to be so spoiled." Cam smiled. "Her and Michael are going to be the smartest, most spoiled children ever."

"That's what family's for." Angela smiled.

"Well Michael will be fighting off the girls and we might need to have the FBI take away Booth's gun."

"That's for sure."

"It's not like I'm going to shoot anyone." Booth said sitting back in his chair.

"That girl is going to have all the guys after her. There's no way you're not going to be going after them." Angela grinned as Booth just shook his head. The group sat talking about the babies for another ten minutes before they fell silent with small smiles.

"We should get home." Booth said to Brennan as she nodded. He looked over at Zack who had handed Michael off to Hodgins. "You getting a ride with us or you going to stay with them?" Zack still wasn't used to Booth talking to him as a friend or family member let alone talking to him at all. It had been a lot different when they were working together before the Gormogon case when Booth ignored him as a male bonding technique.

"We'll drop him off. Your place is on our way home any way." Hodgins said as Zack nodded. Booth and Brennan stood up, said their good nights, grabbed their jackets from her office and left.

"He is nothing like he used to be." Michelle said as Cam gave a small nod.

"He's changed a lot." She looked at her. "He grew up a lot after he had Parker and got out of the army. he started gambling and then he met Dr. Brennan and he changed to what you see."

"Well more cocky and stubborn than he is now." Angela corrected.

"He only gives in because she's pregnant." Hodgins added making Angela look at him. "You two can be scary with your hormones."

"We are not, you men are just too wound up and afraid we'll get mad at you so you run around annoying us."

"Men are the worst when it comes to all that." Michelle said with a smirk.

"Wendell and I figured out why Dr. B is having a baby." Hodgins said looking at the three women. "She just wants to make sure there's someone to torture and make the next generation feel stupid. She is not the most patient since she became pregnant."

"Keep talking, Hodgins. I'm sure you'll be sleeping in the bed in the next month or so." Cam said as Angela crossed her arms and looked at her husband making him shut his mouth quickly. The group sat talking for another hour before they all decided it was time to go home for the night.

Booth walked into the lab quickly and into Brennan's office making, her and Tom look up from the files in their hands while Michelle sat to the side watching the TV.

"What?" Brennan asked worried seeing the look on his face. "Booth, what's wrong?"

"Broadsky's lawyer got an appeal." He said softly making her heart drop, as she looked at him tears building in her eyes.

"What? There's no grounds for it." She said standing up and looking at him angrily.

"The lawyers are saying that we were biased because of what happened to Vincent." He told her softly as she balled her fists.

"That's ridiculous. We worked each case for the facts and we have irrefutable proof that he was the one to commit each murder, even the murder of... of..." She blinked back her tears as much as she could. "It's ridiculous that a judge would even agree to this." She said trying to hold her emotions back. Booth moved to her quickly and wrapped his arms around her bringing her close to him as she held him tight.

"There's no way anyone is going to let him out. And there's no way Caroline is going to let this slide." He said softly as she nodded against his chest. "There's no way he's getting away with doing what he did."

"What's going on?" Cam asked walking in seeing Booth holding Brennan. Brennan pulled away taking a deep breath to calm herself. "What?"

"Broadsky is getting an appeal." Brennan said. "I should tell Angela and Hodgins." She said softly before walking out.

"Who's Broadsky?" Tom asked as he and Michelle walked closer after seeing Booth having to console Brennan.

"Broadsky was a sniper in the army who took killing upon himself." Cam started. "He killed a lot of people, including the grave digger and our intern, Vincent Nigel-Murray." She looked at Booth. "You think he'll get out?"

"I don't know but he sure as hell isn't going far if he does." Booth said glancing out the door.

"Whatever happens, get it done before you have to play dueling snipers again."

"Dueling snipers? You're a sniper?" Michelle asked.

"I was. I was a sniper when I was in the army. Broadsky and me were the best and when I got him we were running around a harbor trying to get the other first."

"You would do that again?"

"To keep him away from people and stop him from killing anyone else? Yeah, I'd track him down again."

"You'd snipe him out and kill him?"

"First thing he's going to do when he gets out is go after Bones. What do you think?" He turned and left leaving the two old friends to look at Cam who was looking worried.

"There's nothing he wouldn't do for her, especially if it meant keeping her safe." Cam told them. "The Broadsky case was hard on him because of how close he was with him but it got worse on him and it hit Brennan, especially, hard when he killed Vincent thinking he was killing Booth. Not one of us will let that man get off free for what he's done." Cam left to go back to her office as Michelle and Tom looked down the hallway where Booth was holding Brennan again. They were off to the side out of the main view. Booth kissed the top of her head and said something as Brennan nodded.

"Things have definitely changed." Tom said looking at Michelle who nodded watching as Booth and Brennan parted. He wiped her tears away talking to her. "I better get this report completely done so they can at least get one thing off their minds." Michelle nodded again before they walked back into the room to go back to what they had been doing, looking up every few seconds before they saw Booth give Brennan a kiss and then he left. Brennan stood in her place a minute longer before she turned and started back to her office.

"I'm sorry about all of that." She said walking in.

"Don't worry about it. It was a big case for you guys. It's understandable to be upset at the news." Michelle said with a small smiled as Brennan nodded.

"Well we should get these reports done and handed off to Caroline so she will be able to focus on keeping Broadsky where he is." She said softly before she sat in her desk chair and went back to work.

After twenty minutes, Brennan leaned back in her chair, finally finished with her report when Angela walked in.

"Sweetie... you have a minute?" Brennan looked at her a minute before nodding and pushing herself to her feet to walk with Angela to her office.

"What's wrong Ange?"

"I... I don't think I can go through the whole Broadsky thing again."

"We have to."

"I know, I just... It's really hard to push away the memories of everything he's done. I don't know if I can go to his appeal. I don't want to have to sit there and hear the judge release him from prison. I wouldn't be able to-"

"He's not going to be released. Everyone here has worked too hard on the cases to let the victims' words fall quiet. We owe it to each one of his victims to make sure he pays for everything he did to them and their families. We owe it to us to make sure he pays for what he's put each one of us through." Angela looked at her for a minute.

"Booth gave you a lecture didn't he?" Brennan nodded making Angela smile and hug her sister like friend. "Well Booth is right. We need to make sure he doesn't see the light of day again.

"I don't know what that means."

"It's a saying. It means he's not going to be getting out of prison until we are all old, gray, wrinkly and dead." She said her voice more firm now as she smiled at her friend. "Thanks."

"All I did was repeat what Booth had said to me."

"Exactly." Brennan looked at her confused as Angela shook her head. "Just, thanks." Brennan nodded and started to leave only to be stopped by Angela's voice. "Is Booth okay?"

"He is upset with the decision of the judge and he is worried that Broadsky may be released, but he doesn't think he will be. He seems a bit confused."

"He's worried about what Broadsky will do if he does get out."

"What do you mean?"

"Well he would want to make Booth pay for catching him and putting him in jail. He'll make Booth hurt before he kills him. And we all know the way to make Booth hurt."

"Is to hurt me." She said softly. "But there's no way we'll let him get out." Brennan said firmly before walking out leaving Angela to smile at the thought of them banding together and trapping Broadsky in jail forever.

"This is good." Caroline. "Well at least this case is closed and not opening again." She said closing the report and putting it in her bag. "How are you two holding up?" She asked looking at Booth and Brennan. Brennan sat in a chair in the conference room as Booth stood to the side drinking his coffee at the FBI.

"We're fine Caroline." Booth said. "Just get this all closed so we don't need to add that to the list of worries." She looked at him then Brennan before nodding and leaving. "You want to head back to the lab?" He asked as he walked around to sit in the chair beside her and face her.

"Actually, Booth..." She locked her eyes with his. "I would like to go home."

"Let me just put some things away and we can go." He nodded knowing since she found out about Broadsky two days ago she wasn't sleeping as well as she needed and it was beginning to wear on her, on top of the natural fatigue she got from the pregnancy. She nodded before they stood and started towards his office so he could finish his work and they could go home and just relax for a week before they were placed back on the clock.


End file.
